cablenew_noel

That weekend in brighton wasn’t what we had expected .got kicked out of the police cells Monday morning ,with nothing but the clothes on our backs ,headed for the motorways and the bright lights of London again


Night time when we got there ended up being dropped off in fleet street.
Newspaper buildings all over the joint, we were tired wet hungry . we were walking along fleet street and next thing I new a car was coming towards me .door flung open .come on get in shouted the driver, I was in and we was weaving in and out of fleet street traffic…….bang crashed the car 100 yards up the rd ,chaos it was no one injured but people came from everywere and couldn’t get away .police arrived and we were arrested .

Least we were out of the cold and wet and would get something to eat
We was charged with stealing the car and took to court next day were we pleaded guilty to theft ,but was remanded into custody for reports.

Ended up in ashford remand centre .now I was a bit scared , I tell you and that first night I didn’t know what to expect


Travelled in a van with other prisoners ,trying to put a brave face on smoking fags .telling jokes , once there everything changed .
Into the building we went
Into a cell with benches either side ,told to sit down be quiet….and 1 by 1 our names were called out.
Empty your pockets lad, got any valuables lad, don’t lean on the desk lad, stay behind the white line lad , d.o.b lad were do u live lad ,sign this lad ,everything had to be accounted for .
Right through there lad get a shower ,change ur clothes ,get some tea,,hurry lad
The showers wee cold ,no soap, and 1 towel that couldn’t dry a baby ,white as well
Into the laundry room were I was issued with ,underpants,jeans,t shirt,blue stripped shirt.
2 pairs of socks ,a pair of black shoes and a brown coat. 2 towels a pillowcase 2 sheets .a comb ,toothbrush .soap .. plastic knife ,fork ,spoon. Mug .and a cammode with a lid on
ohh and a pen ,paper and envelope.

getting dressed in front of others when you stark naked isn’t something u hang about doing and I was dressed and into the que waiting for food
along it came in casks .prisoners serving you .picking up a metal tray .i stuck it out for some food and got a spoonful of potato , moved along ,spoonful of veg, moved along piece of meat, moved along somethingb that resembled gravy,moved along to the end were there was a tray of bread and butter were you helped yourself to as much bread as u weanted ,but only a nob of butter ,and a mug of tea.
It was like feeding time at the zoo ,everybody rushing to get a seat to eat wot was on there tray ,drink there tea…no sugar.
All in all that took around 4 hours and was allocated a cell .marched up the stairs and banged up for the 1st time in a real prison.