OPINIONS

Ross Kemp in HMP Belmarsh documentary controversy

13 January, 2020
Tina Brooker
This week saw the airing of Episode 1 of  Ross Kemp’s long awaited ITV documentary Welcome to Belmarsh or Hellmarsh as it is called by inmates.
This is the first time this high security prison has opened its gates for a full access programme – highlighting how staff deal with the country’s most serious criminals including those deemed a threat to national security.
Inmates include Soham murderer Ian Huntley, black cab rapist John Worboys, Fusilier Lee Rigby’s killers and Islamic Extremists Anjem Choudray/Abu Hamza.
Tommy Robinson 
 
The documentary begins with footage of Tommy’s Trial outside The Old Bailey – announcing his 9 week sentence, this then cuts to the Custodial Manager at Belmarsh Prison discussing with the High Security Unit how best to “manage Robinson when he arrives”.
Kemp states “Tommy Robinson is the most high profile right wing supporter in the country and has just become Belmarsh’s problem”.
The Custodial Manager outlines the problem Tommy’s arrival causes  – “We have a very diverse community of prisoners with up to 230 going to Friday muslim prayer – these are prisoners who will be offended by his view and this will not make for a good environment”.
Chillingly one inmate whose face is obscured for the camera rants “he needs to get what that man got there and he will get it soon trust me”  – he was referring to an inmate who had recently had his face slashed with a razor blade and boiling water and sugar thrown over his back.   The inmate in question was described as a known “right wing” supporter – his crime –  he defaced a copy of the Koran.
The horrific incident was caught on a prison guard’s body camera and the footage shown.
Upon his arrival Tommy is placed in solitary confinement, this is at the request of the Governor and senior security staff – not for punishment but for his protection.   It is explained that The “Contingency Suite” is very rarely used, it is kept solely for high profile prisoners deemed at risk of suicide or attack by other inmates.
During Tommy’s term in prison a story is published in a couple of tabloids stating that a 70 year old inmate had punched Tommy Robinson in the face in the shower.  This leads to a scene where the Governor enters Tommy’s cell to discuss “the potential problems” this poses for his staff.   Tommy agrees to get his team on to it.
The Daily Star/Mirror are forced to retract the “fake news” story.

The documentary then moves on to a demonstration taking place outside the Prison attended by a small group of Tommy Robinson supporters.

One of the Prison’s Security staff watches it on CCTV alongside Kemp – stating this is a large group of protesters who could get violent and who he feared could storm the gates, they have let off a few pyrotechnics and a couple of them swore at staff coming on duty.   Kemp then points to a “scuffle which is taking place between a couple of protesters” – this turned out  to be an organiser having a quick word with an overzealous demonstrator.
Kemp visits Tommy in his cell to ask why he called the demo,  stating it was inciting violence, setting prisoner on prisoner, causing staff extra work by forcing them to come in on a weekend.   He also asks how he thought a protest that could end in violence helps his cause.

Robinson replied “it sends a message to the establishment”.  I want to to ensure my rights are protected as spending a long time in solitary confinement is not good for you.

This was borne out by Robinson’s earlier spell in solitary confinement  when the nation witnessed a shell shocked 40lbs lighter Tommy Robinson emerge through the gates of HMP Olney following a successful appeal to his flawed sentencing –  his mental and physical health were in very bad shape due to duty of care failures during his incarceration.
Clearly Robinson and his supporters wanted to ensure that this did not happen again.
The section on Tommy Robinson ends with a clip of a prison officer cleaning a Free Tommy Sticker from the entrance barrier and Kemp stating “that despite their best efforts to cause disruption the Tommy Robinson protesters were eventually cleared by police”. 
Kemp and his film crew then move on to the real issues lurking within the walls of Belmarsh Prison.
Gang Violence & Drugs
The sharp rise in gang crime and violence in the country is reflected within Belmarsh.    There are 68 known street gangs and nearly 150 members many of them fierce rivals packed within the confines of Belmarsh this causes serious containment issues for staff.
There are just 120 officers to oversee over 900 inmates putting into perspective exactly what staff face on a daily basis.
There are scenes of violent footage between rival black gangs, fights break out daily, even in the visitors area, they appear feral, frenzied and out of control.
It would appear that despite being a high security prison even Belmarsh cannot control drug gangs smuggling in Spice a powerful synthetic cannabis called the “zombie drug” which causes hallucinations, heart attacks and violent psychotic behaviour.
Whilst filming an emergency is called and Ross and his film crew rush alongside medical crew to a cell to give aid to an inmate suffering bad effects from the drug, this is quickly brought under control.  Kemp is then seen taking a quick sniff of the retrieved “spice paper” –  which is enough to render him dazed and physically unable to speak for a few seconds.
We are then taken to a room where prisoners mail is collated,  every item has to be checked for inappropriate material or that which may pose a security risk – every page is swabbed and that swab passes through a machine which can trace drugs, if drugs are detected then the mail is seized.
Kemp points to a large pile of mail which is addressed to Julian Assange he then spots a number of boxes of mail in the corner and is told that is Mr Robinson’s pile.   Once again Kemp refers to the amount of resources and pressure on staff Tommy Robinson is causing.
Analysis
 
I have to say that I found the thought processes of Kemp and the angle given by the production team somewhat bizarre – perhaps it is tommyrobinsonphobia or perhaps the whiff of Spice addled their brain cells who can say.
There is no doubt this is a very hard hitting documentary, an eye opener of life inside a high security prison it contains scenes of violence, bloodshed, gang warfare and highlights a seemingly endless supply of drugs being smuggled in by ever ingenious methods –  yet despite all of this the main focus appears to be Kemp’s overt concern on the draining of staff resources and problems caused by the “far right” prisoner Tommy Robinson sitting quietly in his cell reading “fake news” in the tabloids!
Lets look at the facts – Tommy calls for a demo outside the prison to send a message to the establishment to protect him against the human rights abuses he suffered previously at HMP Onley this lasts a couple of hours –  he also receives a huge amount of mail from supporters.    (The question I would be asking if I was in Kemp’s place is what is a Citizen Journalist doing in a High Security Prison – that goes for Julian Assange too!)
The security guy commenting on the CCTV footage claimed the crowd could get violent and could storm the gates – those claims were unfounded.
Ross Kemp stated that despite their best efforts to cause disruption the Tommy Robinson protesters were eventually cleared by police – Fake news the crowd dispersed of their own accord peacefully making their way to a nearby car park for a short sing song before heading off home – how do I know that – because I was there to witness the whole event.
Ross Kemp came down and spoke to rally organiser Danny Tommo who gave a very articulate interview clearly explaining the reasoning behind the demo and the issues surrounding Tommy’s case.  This was recorded but NOT SHOWN – I leave you to draw your own conclusions why not.   Again I can confirm this as I was present.
The truth is as is so often the case with mainstream media is that they have a set agenda on how they wish to portray Tommy and his supporters and edit the footage accordingly.
 But THEY FAILED  – it is crystal clear to anyone watching the documentary and listening to the statement from the Custodial Manager:-
“We have a very diverse community of prisoners with up to 230 going to Friday muslim prayer – these are prisoners who will be offended by his view and this will not make for a good environment” .
The fear of violence and reprisals comes NOT from the people outside the prison walls but from those inside them!
Culture TV Welcome to HMP Belmarsh with Ross Kemp: what time the prison documentary is on ITV tonight, and what to expect Kemp finds out what life is like inside the maximum security lock-up that …

-->