Prison officer Melissa Burgoyne-Cox, 34, claims she felt safer watching England play at the World Cup behind bars at HMP Oakwood than in her local pub. Having worked through two tournaments at one of the UK's largest prisons, she describes the atmosphere as unbeatable.
Controlled Environment Reduces Risk
Melissa, who appeared on Channel 4's Banged Up series, prefers the prison setting over any beer garden. "I felt safer with 80 prisoners than I did in my local pub," she said. "Out of all the places I have managed to watch the World Cup, HMP has got to be my favourite. You can't replace the atmosphere. It's a lot more controlled, no chances of it kicking off or any inmates getting drunk and rowdy."
Homemade alcohol, known as hooch, is difficult to produce in large quantities. "The smell alone would alert the guards and it would be confiscated immediately. All football shirts are banned inside too, which stops the divide," she added.
Inmates Watch from Cells or Common Areas
Most prisoners not in segregation support their nation during the World Cup. Almost every cell has a TV, with some enhanced areas featuring 42-inch screens in common rooms. "There is an aerial hanging out of almost every cell window. In the area I worked in, inmates would have 28-inch TVs in their cells which would usually hold up to two people," Melissa explained. "Some enhanced areas would feature a 42-inch screen where prisoners would gather to watch the games. If the games are in the social time then up to 100 could congregate around one screen."
With England's match against Argentina kicking off at 2am, many inmates would wake up five hours later for work. Disputes may arise if celebrations disrupt sleep, but Melissa noted they rarely continue into the morning.
Betting on Matches with Canteen Items
Sports betting is common behind bars, with inmates wagering luxury canteen items like biscuits, tea bags, and chocolate bars. "A lot of prisoners would also place bets on the outside world. They would make a phone call to a loved one and request them to place a bet on their behalf. If it wins they just have to hope that the money will be saved for them," Melissa revealed.
Melissa left HMP Oakwood after seven years and now creates content revealing life behind prison walls.
