I miss being in jail with one of the UK’s most prolific child killers – I’ve been released but it’s really hard & scary
A FORMER female prisoner has revealed that there are some things she misses about being inside despite being locked up with prolific child killers.
Francesca Fattore is a former drug dealer who says she briefly spent time in Houseblock 4 at HMP Bronzefield, where murderers and paedophiles are held to keep them away from the other prisoners.
The former prisoner found herself in that part of the prison because good behaviour had granted her access to her own shower.
However, it also meant that she had an adjoining cell to Mairead Philpott, who alongside her husband, killed six of their children through arson back in 2012.
Francesca had a loving upbringing, and a nice family life, before drugs sent her down a perilous path as a teenager.
She served three years and eight months behind bars in various different prisons and also encountered ‘Britain’s most dangerous prisoner’ Joanna Dehenny, who murdered three men in 2013.
Despite this, she admitted that there are still things she misses about being behind bars.
Speaking to the Daily Star, she said: “It is definitely the routine. I worked really well under it.
“I worked really well not having choices. You kind of don’t really think for yourself any more.”
Francesca explained that when she was in prison, she didn’t have to worry about money, or paying bills, or getting a job.
She added that once she left prison, most employers rejected her after finding out that she’d been behind bars.
Probation also hung over her head, and she was terrified of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
She added: “I had to start all over again, so it was really scary and really hard.”
Francesca said that she misses her inmate friends, and said that she is sad that she can no longer go and see them whenever she wants.
She said: “You get out and think it is going to be really exciting and it is not.
“You have to prove to everyone that you have changed. I had to prove to my dad, I still prove to this day now, and I thought everyone was going to be really excited but the first thing I heard was ‘are you going to change, are you going to change, you better not do it again’ and it was like ‘oh man I’ve just got out’.”
Who are the UK's worst serial killers?
THE UK's most prolific serial killer was actually a doctor.
Here’s a rundown of the worst offenders in the UK.
- British GP Harold Shipman is one of the most prolific serial killers in recorded history. He was found guilty of murdering 15 patients in 2000, but the Shipman Inquiry examined his crimes and identified 218 victims, 80 per cent of whom were elderly women.
- After his death Jonathan Balls was accused of poisoning at least 22 people between 1824 and 1845.
- Mary Ann Cotton is suspected of murdering up to 21 people, including husbands, lovers and children. She is Britain’s most prolific female serial killer. Her crimes were committed between 1852 and 1872, and she was hanged in March 1873.
- Amelia Sach and Annie Walters became known as the Finchley Baby Farmers after killing at least 20 babies between 1900 and 1902. The pair became the first women to be hanged at Holloway Prison on February 3, 1903.
- William Burke and William Hare killed 16 people and sold their bodies.
- Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe was found guilty in 1981 of murdering 13 women and attempting to kill seven others between 1975 and 1980.
- Dennis Nilsen was caged for life in 1983 after murdering up to 15 men when he picked them up from the streets. He was found guilty of six counts of murder and two counts of attempted murder and was sentenced to life in jail.
- Fred West was found guilty of killing 12 but it’s believed he was responsible for many more deaths.
Francesca was able to change her ways while in prison. thanks to the help of a 12-week rehabilitation programme, where she met Princess Kate.
She now runs an organisation called UkExFemalePrisoner and helps other women to rehabilitate after leaving prison.
However, despite saying that there are aspects of prison she does miss, Francesca said that she would never want to go back.
She said: “I miss prison but I never want to go back, ever.
“I feel like if I went back it would never be the same as when I was there.”