HMP Wandsworth: The London Prison Where Russell Brand Is Being Held – and How Long He Will Serve

Russell Brand is being held at HMP Wandsworth, the Victorian Category B men’s prison in south-west London, after being jailed for 10 and a half years for rape and sexual assault. He was also held there on remand before sentencing. “HMP Wandsworth” has become one of the most-searched terms in the UK this week, so here is what we know about the prison and how long Brand is likely to spend behind bars.

Why is Russell Brand in HMP Wandsworth?

Brand, 51, was sentenced at Southwark Crown Court on Monday to 10 and a half years for one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault. He was taken to Wandsworth to begin his sentence, having already been held there on remand. Reports say he could be moved to another prison later in his sentence, which is common for long-term prisoners once they have been assessed.

Brand is reportedly being kept apart from other prisoners for his own safety. The Prison Service does not usually comment on where individual prisoners are held or how they are housed.

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What kind of prison is Wandsworth?

Wandsworth is a Category B prison, the second-highest of the four security levels for adult men in England and Wales. Category B prisons hold men who do not need maximum security but for whom escape still has to be made very difficult. Many of its inmates are on remand awaiting trial at London courts or have recently been sentenced.

Built in 1851, it is one of the largest prisons in the UK and has long been criticised for overcrowding and the condition of its buildings. It was designed for fewer than 1,000 men but now holds around 1,500.

Who else has been held at HMP Wandsworth?

The prison has held a string of famous inmates. Oscar Wilde was held there in 1895 after his conviction for gross indecency. Former tennis star Boris Becker spent time there in 2022 over bankruptcy offences and later described it as one of the toughest prisons in the UK. Ronnie Kray and Charles Bronson have also been held there.

It has also been the scene of two famous escapes. Great Train Robber Ronnie Biggs went over the wall in 1965, and in September 2023 former soldier Daniel Khalife escaped while on remand by clinging to the underside of a food delivery lorry. He was recaptured in Northolt, west London, three days later, and the escape led to a review of security at the prison.

How long will Russell Brand stay in prison?

Because his sentence for rape is more than seven years, Brand will have to serve at least two-thirds of it in custody before he can be released on licence. That means at least seven years in prison, with any time already spent on remand counted towards it. He will then be on licence, and can be recalled to prison, until the full sentence ends.

His story is also the subject of the Netflix documentary Russell Brand: Open Secret, which is released today.

Sources: court reporting from Southwark Crown Court, LBC, HM Prison and Probation Service, Wikipedia. Photo: Russell Brand outside Southwark Crown Court.