Former Guard Prefers Prison Over Pub for World Cup
A former prison guard has revealed what it is like to watch a World Cup inside HMP Oakwood, one of the UK's largest prisons in Featherstone, near Wolverhampton. Melissa Burgoyne-Cox, 34, who worked at the jail for seven years, said she would rather watch a match behind bars than in any beer garden this summer because prisoners are less rowdy than drunken punters. She appeared on Channel 4's Banged Up series and shared her experiences on social media.
Prison Atmosphere Beats Any Pub
Melissa stated: "I felt safer with 80 prisoners than I did in my local pub. Out of all the places I have managed to watch the World Cup, HMP has got to be my favourite. You can't replace the atmosphere. It's a lot more controlled, no chances of it kicking off or any inmates getting drunk and rowdy." She noted that the only alcohol prisoners can make is hooch, but brewing enough to intoxicate a whole wing is impossible due to the smell alerting guards, leading to immediate confiscation.
No Shirts, No Divide
All football shirts are banned inside to prevent division among inmates. For example, a Saturday match against Norway at 10pm sees all prisoners in their cells watching. If any inmates celebrate too loudly and keep others awake, verbal disputes usually resolve by morning. Melissa explained: "They can't get at each other so that time locked inside the cell gives them a chance to calm down - it rarely continues in the morning." Most arguments stem from lack of respect rather than football rivalry.
Late Night Matches and Morning Work
With England's last match against Mexico kicking off at 2am, many prisoners would wake up five hours later to start work. Melissa told NeedToKnow: "If the cell next door had been up all night celebrating loudly and partying, which kept their neighbour up – there could be issues. By half 7 in the morning, inmates will have workshops and jobs to attend to. It may cause hostility due to the lack of respect for structures and regimes of their fellow inmates."
TVs and Screens in Cells
Almost every cell has a TV, with some enhanced areas featuring 42-inch screens in common rooms with access to BBC and ITV. Melissa said: "There is an aerial hanging out of almost every cell window. In the area I worked in, inmates would have 28-inch TVs in their cells which would usually hold up to two people. Some enhanced areas would feature a 42-inch screen where prisoners would gather to watch the games. If the games are in the social time then up to 100 could congregate around one screen to watch the games."
Betting with Biscuits and Tea Bags
Betting on sports is huge in prisons, with convicts using luxury items from the canteen as stakes. Melissa said each lag buys an item to create a hamper, and the winner gets the prize, including biscuits, tea bags, or chocolate bars. She added: "A lot of prisoners would also place bets on the outside world. They would make a phone call to a loved one and request them to place a bet on their behalf. If it wins they just have to hope that the money will be saved for them."
Life After Prison
Melissa left her role at HMP Oakwood after seven years and now works as a content creator, revealing on social media what really happens behind towering prison walls.
