Russell Brand reportedly asked prison guards for blankets on his first night in a new cell after being transferred to a different prison just days into his sentence. The 51-year-old former comedian was moved from HMP Wandsworth in south-west London to Category C HMP Littlehey in Cambridgeshire on Friday, November 13.
The 90-mile journey was reportedly carried out in a secure prison van, with Brand arriving at the jail near Huntingdon under escort. Sources told The Sun on Sunday that he was taken to a single-person cell on E Wing and has so far had no contact with other inmates.
Move Prompted by Vulnerability Concerns
One insider claimed: “Brand looked like he was s****ing himself as he was led to his cell. He was heard asking for blankets on his first night and he’s had extra officers looking after him since he arrived.”
“He’s got his own cell and he’s not interacted with any of the other inmates yet.”
The move was reportedly prompted by concerns about Brand's vulnerability because of his high-profile convictions and the risk of attacks from other prisoners.
Facilities at HMP Littlehey
HMP Littlehey houses male sex offenders and offers facilities including a football pitch, two gyms, indoor bowls, yoga, choir sessions and origami classes.
However, the decision to place Brand in a Category C prison has raised questions. Retired prison governor Vanessa Frake told the newspaper she was “absolutely flabbergasted” by the transfer, saying she would have expected a Category B prison to be more appropriate given the length of his sentence and the possibility of further charges.
Brand had previously been held in segregation at HMP Wandsworth, where he was reportedly kept in a basement block containing around 20 cells. The conditions were described by a source as particularly harsh, with prisoners reportedly spending much of the day locked inside and being allowed out once daily to shower and collect a hot meal.
Sentence and Further Allegations
The transfer comes after Brand was sentenced to ten and a half years in prison on November 9. He was found guilty at Southwark Crown Court of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault, involving four women. He was acquitted of two further counts of rape and one count of attempted indecent assault.
Brand denied the allegations and maintained that his sexual relationships had been consensual.
Former Met detective Mick Neville said the move to Littlehey was likely intended to protect Brand and prison staff, arguing that placing him in a higher-security jail could expose him to attacks from violent inmates. Brand's wife Laura, 39, is reportedly able to visit once a week, although the journey from the couple's Oxfordshire home is around 180 miles there and back. The Metropolitan Police is also investigating further allegations involving the comedian.
The Ministry of Justice said it does not comment on individual prisoners.
