It seems Russell Brand isn’t getting a warm welcome behind bars.
The convicted rapist is “cowering in fear” as hundreds of his fellow inmates taunt him with an abusive chant they’re said to be repeating over and over, the Daily Mail reports.
Prisoners inside HMP Wandsworth, where the “Get Him to the Greek” actor has been held since he was convicted for rape and three counts of sexual assault on Thursday, are allegedly chanting, “There’s a Brand new nonce on the wing! A Brand new nonce. Brand, you c–t, you ain’t so f–king lairy now.”
“Nonce” is a British slang term that refers to “a rapist or child molester; a sexual offender,” per Dictionary.com.
For those not in the know, “lairy” is defined as “behaving in a loud, excited manner, especially when you are enjoying yourself or drinking alcohol,” per the Cambridge English Dictionary.
Page Six previously reported that Wandsworth is one of London’s most troubled prisons.
Inside, inmates are subjected to residing in a facility plagued by overcrowding, vermin and violence, according to an official watchdog report.
The Howard League for Penal Reform found that the prison had 1,457 inmates despite having certified normal accommodation for 894. That means it’s operating at 163% of its normal capacity.
Even worse, living conditions inside were described as “inhumane” in a bleak 2024 report by Wandsworth’s Independent Monitoring Board.
The report found that a “cramped” single-occupancy cell was routinely shared by two inmates, who were sometimes forced to go two or three weeks without a full change of clothing.
Showers, meanwhile, were described as damp, unhygienic and limited in number, with poor ventilation creating the perfect environment for mold to form.
Prisoners were routinely locked in their cells for as long as 22 hours per day — sometimes with no access to basic outdoor exercise due to staff shortages — with crumbling floors letting in vermin, intermittent heating in the winter and summer temperatures sometimes topping at 95 degrees Fahrenheit.
Violence was also found to be an issue during the 2023-24 reporting period, with 442 inmate-on-inmate assaults and 518 on staff, 998 incidents of self-harm involving 302 men and a total of 10 deaths — six of which were “apparently self-inflicted.”
Strict security procedures also limit a maximum of three visitors per inmate at a time with all subject to a “rub-down search” and an enforced dress code.
On the bright side, inmates have access to educational and vocational training; activities like yoga, mindfulness, parenting skills, embroidery and choir; and the opportunity to maintain contact with their family via monthly family days, homework clubs, video calls, phone calls and emails.
The Sun previously reported that Brand was “petrified” during his first night at Wandsworth after receiving a “humiliating” strip search, a “first-night pack” of toiletries and food.
He also was allowed a three-minute phone call with his wife, Laura, who supported him throughout his trial.
Brand’s conviction followed a nearly two-year investigation that launched after several women came forward with allegations.
He pleaded not guilty and denied all allegations against him throughout the trial.
A UK legal expert told Page Six Brand could see “eight or nine years” behind bars for the crimes he was found guilty of.
Since his conviction, Brand has faced two more rape accusations.
Brand’s sentencing is scheduled for Monday.
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