Inside Russell Brand’s first night in prison: Rapist banished to solitary confinement facility in the ‘bowels’ of HMP Wandsworth just hours after arriving as he faces years in jail

Russell Brand was placed in solitary confinement at HMP Wandsworth after being convicted of rape and sexually assaulting three women. Prison staff reportedly judged him too high-profile to stay on the vulnerable prisoners’ wing, and his initial isolation reflects the security and management concerns raised by his arrival.

He was taken to the prison’s Care and Separation Unit, mostly below ground, where prisoners spend much of the day locked in their cells. Staff can impose segregation for up to 72 hours before a review; Brand was medically examined, strip-searched and given standard prison clothing. Wandsworth has faced criticism over overcrowding and ageing facilities, and a prisoner in the unit was reportedly carrying out a dirty protest.