David Navarro, who has spent a decade in and out of custody, uncovers allegations of prison officer corruption in a new Channel 4 documentary – with a heavy focus on drug use behind bars
Prisoners will go to extreme lengths to get their hands on certain items while behind bars, but a new documantary has lifted the lid on how ‘corrupt’ prison officers are partly to blame.
Prison officers have been accused of corruption after shocking footage showed them turning a blind eye to drug use behind bars in a new TV documentary.
UK Prisons Exposed: Sex, Drugs and Corruption, which is available to stream on Channel 4, follows ex-inmate David Navarro inside UK prisons where he delves deeper into bribery behind bars and shared how inmates get their hands on booze and drugs — and even how they have sex with guards.
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In the documentary David, who has spent a decade in and out of custody, speaks to both inmates and guards to get both perspectives. During exclusive interviews he uncovers allegations of prison officer corruption, sex and drugs, with shocking videos filmed by prisoners.
In one video, taken on a phone which a prisoner had smuggled into his cell, an officer confronted a prisoner as he stands outside their door – confronted with the stench of marijuana. And when the convict pushes back – asking the officer openly what his room smells like – he is met with an extraordinary response as he is told to open his window so it isn’t as obvious.
In the shocking footage the officer says: “What the f*** is in that? I don’t wanna know.” The prisoner responds: “Why, what does it smell like?”, to which he replies: “F***ing weed.” When the inmate says: “Weed? It smells like weed?” he says: “Yeah, hence why I told you, open your f***ing window.”
In a brazen show of shamelessness, the prisoner then asks “What’s that on the table?” The officer says: “Well, there you go.” Ex-prisoner David Navarro, who presents the show, said that the footage ‘suggests that prison staff at every level could be part of the problem’, reports MailOnline.
A Prison Service spokesperson said: “While the vast majority of most prison staff are honest, we are catching more of the small minority who break the rules through our Counter-Corruption Unit and stronger vetting. Where officers fall below our high standards, we do not hesitate to take robust action.”
The documentary also features shocking footage which is secretly filmed by inmates in their cells showing stashes of weed along with mobile phones, bottles of Ciroc vodka, Courvoisier brandy, Wray & Nephew rum and boxes of Krispy Kreme doughnuts, plus KFC, Nando’s, McDonald’s and Chinese takeaways boxes.
UK Prisons Exposed – Sex, Drugs & Corruption: UNTOLD, streams on Channel 4 from Wednesday, June 25.