We investigate one of Europe’s most troubled jails. In HMP Wandsworth: Europe’s Most Scandalous Prison we see footage from inside the jail which has become notorious for prison escapes, public sex between guards and inmates and one of the most damning inspection reports in recent prison history. Built in 1851, this is London’s oldest prison and one of the most overcrowded, vermin-infested jails ever. Things have got so bad, the Chief Inspector of HM Prisons sent an “urgent notification” to the UK government prompting emergency action .
We hear first-hand testimony from those who have served time and those who have worked inside HMP Wandsworth, including a whistleblower who reported her colleagues, claims she was hounded out of her job, and tried to end her life. In this revealing documentary, ex-inmates, former POs and prison experts open up about what life is really like inside Wandsworth, and why this Victorian prison is now at breaking point and close to collapse. We ask how things have got so bad, and what, if anything, is the solution