Birmingham Live
UK · 1 hrs ago
Inside HMP Oakwood where inmates watch World Cup on 42-inch screens and place bets for biscuits
Inmates are also said to brew their own hooch13:18, 11 Jul 2026A former prison guard has lifted the lid on what it's like to watch a World Cup behind bars at at HMP Oakwood.Melissa Burgoyne-Cox has watched two global tournaments unfold during her time on the wing at one of the UK's largest prisons, in Featherstone, near Wolverhampton.The-34-year-old confessed she would rather watch a match inside the jail than any beer garden this summer – because prisoners are less rowdy than drunken punters, she says.READ MORE: The disturbing digital trail left by racist monster who raped Sikh woman he thought was MuslimMelissa, who appeared on Channel 4's Banged Up series, said the atmosphere of a sports event in the prison beats that of any pub.She said: "I felt safer with 80 prisoners than I did in
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