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TUESDAY 20 NOVEMBER 2001

Many aspects of prison life are unbearable: boredoht fade in tiet after I’e

When I returned to ht, the TV rooans; the voluht between Lennox Lewis and Hasi back at Bel out frohted to learn that Lennox Lewis had retained his title, but didn’t need to hear every word the co cheers, screaave up, went next door and asked if the volureeted with a universal chorus of ‘Fuck off!’

1000 am

Sixteen new inductees turn up for labour board, all clutching their red folders The e has spread: if you don’t return your folders, you don’t get a job, and therefore no wages Because the prison is so full at the ood jobs – hospital, SMU, library, education, stores, officers’only kitchen, cleaners and the dreaded far the new intake is a PhD and an army officer I fix it s

o that the PhD, who only has another five weeks to serve, ork in the stores, and the army officer will then take over from him Only one of the new intake hasn’t a clue what he wants to do, so he inevitably ends up on the farm

1100 am

I have already described the paper chase to you, so i the three prisoners to turn up thishis release papers is Potts Do you remember Potts? Solicitor didn’t turn up, took an overdose? Well, he’s fully recovered and went back to court for his appeal However, he was half an hour late and the judge refused to hear his case, despite the fact that it was the Prison Service’s fault that he wasn’t on time Here we are teeks later and he’s off toh he wasn’t due for release until the thy conversation at SMU, I agree to visit hiht and find out what caused this sudden reversal

300 pm

The governor of Spring Hill (Mr Payne) calls to have a private chat with Mr New He’s concerned about the attendant publicity should he agree tohe can to allay Mr Payne’s anxieties, pointing out that once the tabloids had got their photograph, the press haven’t been seen since But Mr Payne points out that it didn’t stop a series of stories appearing froh pure fantasy doesn’t help Mr New tells him that I have settled in well, shared a room with another inmate and am a model prisoner Mr Payne says he’ll make a decision fairly quickly I am not optimistic

630 pm

I have been invited to attend aof the Samaritans (from Boston) and the Listeners (prisoners) They e views and ideas They only need n some books for their Christ in so from the Red Cross bookshop

‘Of course,’ I tell her

1030 pm

There’s a cowboy film on TV, so the noise is bearable – that is, until the final shoot-out begins