Former inmate warns Russell Brand of danger at Wandsworth prison

A former inmate of HM Prison Wandsworth, released in 2025, warned that comedian Russell Brand is a “marked man” inside the London jail and could be in serious danger if he remains there.

Brand is being kept apart from other inmates and housed alone while prison officials conduct a risk assessment following his conviction for rape and sexual assault. The prison has opened a care-in-custody document to monitor his mood and wellbeing and has limited his movement within the facility.

“He’s a dead man walking,” the former inmate said.

The ex-prisoner described Wandsworth as “violent, corrupt, dirty and noisy” and said violence is common, with staff allegedly paying prisoners to attack others. He added that Brand would need to survive until authorities arrange a transfer to a different prison.

A prison source said Brand’s first days behind bars were “a real shock to his system,” noting the stark contrast between the jail environment and his previous lifestyle. The source described Brand as “shaken and quiet” and said he is being kept away from other prisoners because of the risk posed by his offence, wealth and public profile.

Brand has reportedly received a visit from a chaplain and is not permitted to move far around the prison while the additional precautions remain in place. Authorities are reportedly considering several facilities, including Stafford, Usk in South Wales and Channings Wood in Dorset, with a specialist sex-offenders’ unit seen as a possible long-term location.

Brand was sentenced to 10 years and six months at Southwark Crown Court after being found guilty of one rape and three sexual assaults. The judge called him a dangerous “sexual predator” and noted his “staggering arrogance” and contempt for women.