As families across the United Kingdom gather to celebrate Christmas, more than 88,000 inmates in England and Wales will mark the day behind bars. Among them are some of the nation's most infamous serial killers, serving life sentences in the country's most notorious prisons.
A Governor's Insight into Festive Prison Life
Vanessa Frake, a former prison governor awarded an MBE for her service, spent 16 years working in high-security jails before her retirement in 2013. During her long career, she managed some of Britain's most dangerous criminals, including Moors Murderer Myra Hindley and Gloucester serial killer Rose West.
She reveals that Christmas Day is a particularly fraught time for prison staff, who must manage heightened emotions among the inmate population. "Staff are having to deal with raised incidents of self-harm and violence," Vanessa states. Despite the challenges, officers strive to introduce elements of festive cheer.
The Festive Routine: Carols, Cards, and TV Specials
Prisons incorporate certain Christmas traditions, albeit within strict limits. Vanessa recalls that at Holloway Prison, the Salvation Army would visit to play carols in the grounds, with female inmates singing along. Church services are held as they would be outside, and with no family visits permitted, staff often help prisoners spend more time out of their cells.
Every cell contains a television, allowing inmates to watch The King's Speech or Christmas soap specials. "TVs are a privilege not a right," Vanessa emphasises, noting the days of communal viewing are largely gone. Inmates may receive Christmas cards by post, but presents are forbidden. Families can send money for the prison canteen, and some churches may provide small treats like a Mars Bar, but nothing resembling a typical gift.
Christmas Dinner and the Hidden Danger of Hooch
Inmates are served a traditional Christmas dinner, with all dietary requirements catered for. At Holloway, the cost was approximately £1.30 per prisoner. Staff would often serve the meal to relieve the inmates who usually perform the duty.
Alcohol, however, is completely prohibited. This leads to a seasonal spike in the production of 'hooch' – a dangerous, illicit alcohol brewed inside. Made from fruit, bread, sugar, and water left to ferment by a radiator, the concoction is extremely hazardous. "It can make you go blind, it can kill you, it's 100 percent alcohol," warns Vanessa. Prisons conduct pre-Christmas searches, and Wormwood Scrubs even pioneered the use of a 'Hooch Pooch' dog trained to sniff out the brew.
Volatile Atmosphere and the 'Lowest of the Low'
The festive period often sees a rise in serious incidents. Vanessa recalls one Christmas at Holloway descending into a food fight over the size of a Christmas pudding portion, leaving turkey and cranberry sauce smeared across the ward. More gravely, she has dealt with attempted suicides, severe self-harm, and prisoner-on-prisoner violence.
Officially, all prisoners are treated the same, whether a serial killer or someone convicted of a lesser crime. "The punishment of prison is the removal of liberty," says Vanessa. However, for the most notorious inmates, every aspect of daily life is risk-assessed.
Child killers, abusers, and rapists are considered "the lowest of the low" by other prisoners. Lucy Letby, convicted of murdering seven babies, is reportedly held on a Vulnerable Prisoner Unit at HMP Low Newton in Durham alongside other whole-life inmates like Joanna Dennehy. This separation is crucial for their safety. "The likes of Dennehy would think nothing of trying to get to somebody like Letby," Vanessa notes, implying they are kept far apart.
Other notorious figures spending Christmas behind bars include Levi Bellfield, murderer of Milly Dowler, and Mark Bridger, who killed five-year-old April Jones. For prison staff, maintaining order and humanity amidst this volatile mix remains their paramount, and most challenging, Christmas duty.
