Prisoners are tending Britain’s first jail vineyard – but they have been banned from turning the grapes into wine.
Rather than convert their cells to cellars, they will instead produce only grape juice which can then be sold in the prison’s farm shop.
A source told us: “It’s not really worth the risk to start fermenting their own booze.
“They’re at the end of their sentences, so any breaches of discipline like that would see them returned to a closed prison and mean their release dates would be delayed. That said, it might still be tempting to brew up a batch of prison house wine.
“Perhaps they could call it the Grapes of Wrath.”
The vineyard is at East Sutton Park women’s jail near Maidstone, Kent.
It is based in a stately home, parts of which date back to the 1570s.
The country pile was first turned into a prison in 1946. Before that, grapes grown on the estate were made into wine for guests. A team of prison gardeners are now restoring the vines.
While wine may be off the table, it is not the first time wine and crime have been linked. One popular brand on UK shelves is called Most Wanted.
And Aussie winemaker 19 Crimes uses mugshots of criminals from decades ago on its bottle labels.
The prison service has teams of sniffer dogs trained to uncover contraband.
Inmates have been known to ferment leftover fruit and bread in cleaning product containers to beat detection.
Bin bag “bottles” have been found hidden in coat sleeves and trouser legs.
Lag bags are hot property
By David Jarvis
Here’s the latest fashion steal… a £39 designer swagbag made by prisoners.
The shopping bags have sold out online after being produced as a rehab project.
The bags and a matching £15 purse by designer Karen Nicol come in red, blue, green, yellow and purple embroidery.
They sell on the Fine Cell Work charity website, which supplies embroidery kits to inmates who then receive a cut of profits.
A source said: “They’ve proved a smash hit.” Top interior design firms Blithfield and Melissa Wyndham work with Fine Cell Work and inmates themselves to create designs.
They also make trendy cushions, including a blue one with a pineapple design for £180, and a hand-embroidered Blithfield for £135.
The gear is put together by 600 inmates, including 30 at HMP Leyhill, Glos, where the scheme won praise this week.
Fine Cell Work, which also produces kitchenware and homeware, said: “Teaching prisoners high-quality needlework boosts self-worth, fosters hope and encourages them to lead independent, crime-free lives.”
Serving his time
By Sean Rayment
A food whiz is knocking up top-notch nosh in his cell using kettles to cook in, then sharing his creations on YouTube.
The inmate, who goes by the name Fine Dinin’ Felon, keeps his identity secret as the phone he records clips on is banned in jail. He says only that he is in “for the long run”.
He orders ingredients from the prison catalogue, and his signature dish is a two-kettle tuna and mackerel curry with red lentils, sweetcorn, onions and basmati rice.
He has made seven videos so far, which have been viewed 17,000 times.
A source said: “The dishes look pretty good. Mind you, he does have time on his hands.”
