 TLO was pop We are on twitch. We are not live, but you can leave a like comment subscribe turn on your post notification bells Let's continue to grow the family from Chicago to the UK We got HMP Pentonville London Britain's toughest prison Heard that before Well, maybe you haven't heard the word toughest, but we heard Britain's something prison This is brought to us by organized criminals Start out to them Let's get into this man. It's an hour long. No pauses gang Pentonville in London is one of Britain's toughest prisons Over a whole year for the first time on television The BBC has followed repeat offenders inside jail Outside on release And even back inside again We don't like to see the free It gives up too much of this 7,500 offenders come in and out of Pentonville every year Mick Norman is irregular. He's 43 and has a hundred and nineteen offenses on his record most linked to crack and heroin use This time he's inside for stealing bottles of spirits which he sells for cash That's so calm and Chicago Right now Mick would rather be locked up in Pentonville than free In here I'm safe, you know, I'm cleaning sober, I've got a bed, my food's here, I've got a job, I've got Tobacco, I've got friends, I've got staff I know, and out there I'm living at the bottom of a block of flats in a bingy shed, no money, I've got no ID so I'm not claiming, all I need is... I don't feel anything. It's a good one. It's a good one, you know. I'm going to be alright, is it? Sorry. More safe, these places, these are the pinnacles. Oh! Staff do try to prepare repeat offenders for release, but every day there are more urgent challenges to face, from Pentonville's many difficult and dangerous inmates. Don't move a bit, do you want me to help you? I've got a radio to ask for a bit of help. Today's duty governor has to deal with a mentally disturbed prisoner who's refusing to take his medication. He's in credit. This came out in 2007, or maybe it was re-uploaded in 2007. He's been really aggressive and won't even entertain any staff attempting to help him, which is when we see him spitting at staff and punching staff and throwing things and he secretes weapons. If y'all wondering what happened to the Myra, the Myra reaction, it got blocked, which is surprising. I don't remember real stories ever blocking anything from me. Try and use an exit spell, so it's very, very tricky. A team is taken away from normal duties and sent to the healthcare wing, just to make sure the prisoner gets the treatment he needs. He's very, very volatile, even if he is compliant at first, please remain on your guard, because he does have a history of staff assault. Keep your shields on, because he spits. Be careful, y'all. I'm going to make y'all work for y'all a little money. My hat looks good. It's not. Officers must give the prisoner every chance to comply, but make sure they are protected if he hits out. Then the place you're hiding. I don't feel like getting beat up today. He's just going to comply. Since he refuses medication, staff must maneuver him into a position where it can be safely administered. Into a position where... Why did that look just so aggressive just now? Is it just me or is that aggressive? He was complying, wasn't he? It can be safely administered. Dang! Maybe it wasn't aggressive. Night night. And I got to make sure all of this records. I'm recording, okay. I'm going to edit this out. Y'all won't see it. It's going to be like a blink of an eye. Honestly. One of the best editors on YouTube. It comes, you know, it comes with a lot. It's calling me from Boca Raton. I think this is my baby mama. Dang! Another new arrival. Shennel Bice is 36. He's been in and out of jail since he was a teenager. For robbery, burglary and assault. Have you been here before? Yeah. When was the last time, was it? Last year. What's your offense? What offense? What kind of charge? A lock knife. Was this your last offensive weapon, yeah? Yeah. He's hoping the spell inside can set him straight. I'm 36, so realistically I've been like 22 years of my life. Outside, it's hard because you've got this to do. It's hard. When you come to prison, it's easy. Do you know what I mean? You've got your telly, you've got your kettle, you've got your mills three times a day. You know what I mean? It's easy. You've got no mills to pay, no nothing. Do you know what I mean? So that's how it is. I want them to come to prison today. Do you know what I mean? Like because... This is the second person we ran into that wanted to come here. It's too much for me out there because I'm an ex, having addict and an alcoholic. So for me to come to prison, it helps me... I try to get it for life re-offenders. You know what I mean? That's why I'm here. Do you know what I mean? I'm off a break and... You know? Outside prison, Shennel has fallen out with his fiance. He wants his mum to contact her. What did you speak to Nina? And what she say? We can start again, mum. Just so that we can start again and... You know what I mean, mum? You know what I mean? I'm going to go right, do what I asked you to. Just matter that seat is like matter. He's... Man's went back to prison to get away from his fiance. Good thing it's already good. I love her and you know, and to write me a letter, so I know what's happening. Shennel will be in Pentonville for two months. On seawing, staff are monitoring the prisoner who is creating a major disturbance. We have a chap on here, Mr. Kieran. He's been here for several weeks now. He's served. That's him now, yeah. He's going home in the next few days, but he seems to be getting maybe anxious about that as well. Or maybe he don't want to go. The prisoner will be let out of his cell to get his lunch, but Principal Officer Barclay has concerns. He's been banging his door. It's quite irate. He's asking, making demands about all manner of things. If it comes to a restraint, then what I expect is three officers to be doing a restraint and Mr. Long to oversee it. Outside the Cerberi, the prisoner has thrown a plate of food at another inmate, and officers are forced to restrain him. I saw like, this is like the Forever 21 or Bass Pro Shop employee staff. They don't even look like real prison guards. Crazy. Stand him up. Stand him up. Mr. Lawrence. I remember I got arrested one time, right? And it was this one cop, just one little short fat bald cop. And he was just going hard on me, like trying to make fun of me, trying to like, like just saying all kind of stuff. And I'm looking at him, because I'm complying, I just put my hands behind my back, waiting for them, blah, blah, blah, blah, complying, being calm, cool, collected. And I look at him, I'm like, bro, what's wrong with you? Like, what happened to you today? Were you jerking it out on me? Because I haven't said a word to you and you just continue to go. Like be professional at what you're doing, because I'm giving y'all an easy time. I could be irate, I could be, I could do whatever I want. I could give you the toughest time, but I'm not. I'm 6'2", x amount of pounds. I can make this very difficult for y'all, but I'm not. And you're talking to me like I am, just like, and he looked, he stopped. He was like, you're right, my bad. He was like, and he apologized. I was like, thank you. Chill. I didn't even do nothing either. Down in the segregation unit, Sean Kieran will be searched, then led to a cell. He is nearing the end of a short sentence for a drunken fight. After two hours, Sean is calm enough to explain his fears about leaving jail. He has a drink problem and suffers from depression, and he's wanted more help from the prison. What's worrying you about getting out? I've got a lot to not look forward to. I'm probably going to lose my flat. I don't know if the gas electricity's on. One thing that I've been given help for in the past was, you know, about utility bills, getting in touch with gas and electricity people to say, you know, yo, I'm in prison. And this time round, it's been like, I've been asking for someone to amputate an arm of themselves. The point is, I'm alcoholic, and I've been trying my best to stop drinking. And I'm terrified of going out, picking up, as I threatened to do a bottle of Jack Daniels, and this time, chugging it like it was just water, you know, to help with the consequences. Yeah, exactly. But, you know, once you're out in the real world, you know, it's a different matter. Oh, my God, man. I'll get a role in drunk, and end up dead somehow under a car. Someone killed me thinking I'm going to hurt them, you know. Well, you'll be in drunken bras. At Pentonville, Christmas can do courses or attend education classes, but many are locked up 23 hours a day. Is that normal? On G-Wing, Mick Norman is allowed out of his cell to work as a cleaner. I shouldn't say it, but I've got a bit of a soft spot for Mr. Norman. Norman, you know what they say? A woman's work is never done. I don't know what he does outside. You know, maybe he's a total pain in the arse outside, and his victims probably would have a different thing to say about it, but in here, he's as good as gold. Mick is currently drug-free, but years trapped in a cycle of prison, addiction and homelessness have left him estranged from his family. Where do you stay when you go out there and... Where? Unless I've got safe housing. Yeah. Yeah. It's a sorry state of affairs, isn't it? You've got family outside and everything. Very good. With your mum's, with my family, I don't even see them. Why? When you come out of jail and say, I'm back again for a couple of weeks, so I'm better off not seeing them, you know? I ain't seen my boy for nearly two years. He's 16, you haven't even got a mum. I've had him since he was a baby. How do you know that he feels like that? How do you know that he doesn't want you to come round? It doesn't matter what he wants, my mum doesn't want it. You could write a letter and just explain how you feel. I've said it all before. Keep saying it, bro. Give up, really. I just don't think you... I think you've just got to keep trying, basically. Keep trying. That's a real... My son hasn't got a mum on that because he's his grandmother's. I stay out of contact with him because that's better for him. The best thing I can do is stay away from my mum because then I'm doing the right thing by my son, until I can be a responsible parent again and a productive member of society. I've got no right to be around him. But no matter when he's safe, he's doing well at school, he plays music, he's a mentor for other kids. I'm really proud of him. But when I miss him, I'm going off. It's going to make a difference later in your son's life. You've got to keep trying. Mick will be out in just three weeks. Local councils seldom offer immediate housing to newly released prisoners. So it's up to the prison's drug support team to try and find him somewhere to sleep. Down in segregation, officers deal with a dirty protest every few weeks. Sean Kieran has now become so desperate about his imminent release that he started one too. Let's put shit on the observation panel. So there's two things there we can't see yet. We can't do for his protection as well. We've got to see him. A lot of dookie excrement in there. We should get Kieran out of here. We'll get the white suits on. Because it could end up like this. It's the type of stuff that makes prison guards on a whooping. The rules are that dirty protesters must stay in the same cell until they have ended their protest. So staff have to clean up around Sean Kieran. It's nothing we've noticed before. We can see it every other day. It happens once or twice a month. Even if they're on a dirty protest, prisoners must be offered food. Sean Kieran is becoming increasingly disturbed. I'm going to do something really fucking great. Stand for the back of the cell. Fuck you. Fuck you. What do you say? Glass go kiss? You trying to glass go kiss somebody? Fuck you. Glass go kiss somebody? Fuck you. Good. It takes another day in the segregation unit for Sean Kieran to bring his protest to an end. Yeah, you're going to throw up. You're going to catch something. You're all right now. So you woke up this morning and things start better? Yeah, I was thinking a lot more clearly. Making stupid remarks like that and kissing and all that, you know. I suppose in a way it's like false bravado if you like. What was I talking about? We were just talking to him about he doesn't want to end up under a car because somebody thinks it's going to hurt him. You issuing out glass go kiss warnings. Like, of course. Chenle has been in jail a fortnight. He's sobered up and started thinking about what keeps dragging him back inside. I know what has triggered me off to be like is like when my dad passed away, like seven years ago, this August. I do think about my dad, but it's hard. I still think my dad's at home drinking his whiskey and that, you know. But yeah, that's what made me go a bit cranky. So I've got to let go, but I don't think I've let go yet. Though he's calmer inside prison, Chenle is anxious about what's going on outside. Obviously I love my girl, isn't it? I was going to get married to her and all that, but I don't know what's going on. She hadn't even sent me a letter or nothing, so I don't know. I'm just, I'm irritable, you know what I mean? I mean, it's horrible, man. I'm having a bad heart, but I don't know if she still loves me or not. I don't know. I just have to find out, wait and see. I don't know. Be free today, but because his sentence is under 12 months, he'll have no probation officer. He may also have nowhere to stay and weeks of delay before he can access benefits. The only way I can survive outside is to quit crime. You know, where am I going to sleep the night after? What do I eat the day after? Where do I go? What do I do? Where do I wash? Well, you know, I ain't a street beggar. You know what I mean? I'm a grafter, so I'm going to go after the money, but I'm not going to sleep on the street. We're not going to earn each other one life or two when I quit the job. I don't do the same in the afternoon. We've got a paper and hotel, we'll wait. It's a vicious cycle, man. I'm sad, but it's still the wrong road, isn't it? The worst thing you can get from me is here. It's the worst that can happen, it's this. And you know, I ain't got to pay for this, am I? Tax, please. I'm sad, I know, but it's true. Good luck. Thank you, miss. Hopefully, we won't see you soon. Hopefully, but... Right, so... I've left me bed. You wanted to say realistically, you will. No, that's not the attitude. You sent me sevens on hold. Well, thanks. For the day. I hope we don't see you back. Have fun. See you later, miss. Thanks, guys. See you. Well, you like my margillon steak, don't you? I've got 67 of your own money. We're giving you seven pounds, 70 fares, 46 pounds, discharges, so I took the 69, 37. Have you got everything? Yes, miss. Can I give you some money? Do you want me to help you, sir? Do you want all that rough on the money? I've got to use that for our food, man. The prison has set up a meeting for Mick at a housing charity, but even if he can tackle all the bureaucracy involved, he has no guarantee of a roof over his head tonight. So... Plainies can't get me burst if you get shoot, toot and beck, get my fire assessment, try and get the air some benefit forms in. If they accept that, I might be able to get in the property today. If they don't, and I've got to wait more than four or five days to get in anywhere, I'm not prepared to stay out on the street for four or five days, so I prefer to come back to Penneville. So what do you think your chances of staying out of this jail for the weekend are? This time, man. 60-40. Man. 60-40 is your favourite. Yeah. Are you keeping a rebutt? It's cold in the UK, aren't you? It's out of my hands. I can do it. I'll give you a call. It's cold in the UK. Mick never did call. A few weeks later, we were to discover why. Really done? What was he about? Sean is leaving too. After getting help from the prison's addiction support team, he feels calm about re-entering the world outside. On the day of his release, he even takes time to write a farewell letter. This is a letter from Mr Monaghan, the governor. Thanks to all at the Ville for their tough love. In no particular order of any kind. Blah, blah, blah, blah. Thanks in the final analysis for looking after me. You're sincerely peace and love, Sean Kieran. But you feel you've been well looked after here. Yeah, really. Because, you know, things are done for a good reason while you're here. You know, you don't always understand why. Have you kept a look? No, it's fake, yeah. It looks like a seventh grade science teacher. I don't even understand. Mel Gibson, bright heart. That's actually who you look like. Mel Gibson. Bye-bye. Peace. Look after yourselves next. Despite his anxieties inside jail, Sean still has a home to go to. Home again, home again, jiggity jig. Oh, you're good. I've got lots to keep me active. Keep me away from trouble. Yeah. That's my, you know, release from prison to back home. So far, so good. Yep. Shennel Biser has been waiting for news from the woman he hopes will one day be his wife. It's been a good week for me so far. I've got two letters. Okay. She's saying when I get out, we're going to start again, try for a baby, get married, that sort of thing. So yeah. I want to say he can change, but I want to say she sounds delusional. She's telling me she loves me, which is a good thing. Do you know what I mean? Because I was paranoid. Because when you come to prison, you do get paranoid. You think like they're doing the same cults out there. You know what I mean? But all girls ain't the same. Do you know what I mean? And she's even put, like, needing a bicep. So I'm just waiting for her to give a big kiss. You know what I mean? Cut off. Reassured, Shennel now gets to work and takes up some of the opportunities the prison has on offer to prepare for life outside. No one can say I've been sitting down, doing nothing. I'm doing things in jail while I'm in jail. By the end of next month, I will be drug-free. I've got three certificates already. I've got a changing possible. Change is possible, so and I've got relaxation and I've got heroin. That was the main one. Yeah, heroin. That was my main one. That's the one. My drug, yes, you know. Yeah. Hopefully, you know, I'll get a job. You know what I mean? And just live a normal life like other people. Because I'm fed up with this. It's not me no more. I've done my time. You know what I mean? I've served my time. I'm not complacent with normality, you know. I don't want to be nowhere like this, but I just can't, you know what I'm saying? Give me. I feel like I want, I feel like everybody should want more than normality for themselves. But you know, if you're coming from a place like this, yes, normality is something to strive for, like, I see so much more, man. Another repeat offender, Graham Shields, is nearing the end of a 16 month sentence for robbery. Graham is 32 and has been a shoplifter for over a decade. He had a steady job. Sound like you need to retire. You in here again. But gradually, crack cocaine took over. I feel kind of guilty. Cracks the culprit. When I turned that, cracked quite a powerful drug, and it drained your soul, kind of thing. I was working for a commercialised company at the time of Korean. I lost my job there. I was become unreliable. I stopped eating. So then I started going that shoplifting every day like it was a job, kind of thing, getting up. Going to hit a couple of shops, going to sell that, putting the money in my pocket. Going to smoke crack. Graham was just one of those people who... I've probably seen him coming into prison probably six, seven times in the space of 18 months. We always have sort of a bit of a... a bit of a conversation about what had gone wrong for him this time. How many times have you been in jail, Graham? About 42 times. I've been in jail for a long time. I've been in jail for a long time. I've been in jail for a long time. I've been in jail for a long time. About 42 times. Since night yet, I've started coming into jail. So it's quite a few times. 42 times. Yeah, including this time. How much... How many years is that equate to me? Graham will be out of prison again in three weeks. This time, the authorities have him in their sights. Because he's a prolific offender, it's a top priority to stop him committing crime. And put him back. Shennel Biser completes his prison sentence today. He leaves Pentonville sober and focused. I'm still... Why is this the toughest prison? Like, why is this title the toughest prison? This morning, I can't wait. I can't wait. I can't wait to get out of that door. I can't wait. Did you see what it's like? No, not really. Not really. It's hard. You know, I feel positive. I don't want to do what I used to do. Come out, smoke, drugs and drink and this, that and the other. You know what I mean? I want to come out straight ahead here. And, you know what I mean? I want to change my way now. You're in next finger on that red light. Unlike many who walk out of these gates, Shennel will at least have somewhere to stay with his fiancée Nina. Yeah, man. I... I mean... I'm sorry. It's okay. He did good for himself at least, what his fiancée. Stay free for her, my boy. In recent years, Shennel has failed to stay out of jail for long. Now he will try again. Mick Norman lasted just two weeks outside jail. Homeless, he shoplifted to get himself put back inside. But this time, he was sent to a prison where he didn't feel at home. And now he's out again. How are you? Hi, Michael. I'm very well. How are you? I'm better for getting out of there. You know, I've been away in the country because that's the worst one I've been to. And that's what he'd be taking, man. He took... There's a real fender hanging, sending him to the same prison where he's just so comfortable at, so comfortable. So, you got to make people uncomfortable so they don't want to return to that state of life. Yeah. Or is it definitely conventional? These nice prisons, man. I mean, you get fed sandy lunch time. You don't get enough of meals. You're manding twenty-nine hours between meals. Sorry about the print of your... Let's put me off the jail. Let's put me off the cabin bench. Send me one, please. He'll be lurking behind. Send me one, please. I've spent 14 and a half years in even happy prisons. Mostly on my land. You know, it's a fucking long time. I'm getting nowhere fast and getting older slower. You know, the chances of getting caught were a lot greater. There's cameras everywhere that I'm known. I'm sick of him. Hopefully. It's my last look at the jail. Hopefully. Hopefully. I can't remember how fucking normal it was. You know, we all maxed in prison. I've been in prison. That's all I fucking know. We all get on. We all know each other. I've never gone to prison. 30-year prisons. 30-year prisons, I've been to. I've never walked in prison and not known somebody. I always know someone. You know, Miggie, how's it going, son? Not that time, buddy. Olympic parks. Clapford. Back then, man. I lived that side of the stadium. I never saw this side of the stadium. Come over and have a look. You can't go 10 billion. Well, they can't find me a fucking bit. This is the Popper Street. That's the new stuff. Milford Limits. This is the old stuff. Straight to the centre. Come on. Chasing to my world. I'll give you breakfast over there if you roll in, because it's free. It's a big tube. You can eat some big sandwiches and a bottle of coke and cola. Life is short with stuff. That's what it is. There you go. I'm sleeping here. Come on, man. Come on, man. There you go. Come on, come on, come on. Come on. Come on. I'll say, there you go. It's 40 quid. I'm going to get 15 quid on that. No-one would know this to me, so all the things that works. Yeah, he's scouting already with the camera crew. I could say, they fuck it. I'll be all right after Christmas. They'll go to Belmarsh, I'll be all right, and I'll be all right. Get on the right. I don't want to. You know, I've done me last time, as far as I'm concerned. Hopefully. Mick is homeless and has only his prison discharge grant to live on, but for once, he'll now seek money and shelter the legal way. Change of scenery. Graham will shortly be released from prison and will complete the last eight months of his sentence outside in the community. They look like an IT analyst. Computer fraud. Let me hide you in here. At the local probation office, plans are being made to handle his release. We know how you went in here, but still. Yeah, Graham's coming out, and yeah, we're going to take him straight to Norman House. Kevin's coming. Yeah, yeah. She did this on purpose. She matched her little cardigan with her hair, and that's tough. We're going to take him straight to Norman House. Kevin's coming as well, the police officer, so he's going to come with us in the car. He has a really poor record of compliance with probation, and he is literally a revolving door. Rachel. Where it really is catch and convict, catch and convict, because he doesn't engage and he's never complied with any type of orders. Graham has been put on a new scheme called Integrated Offender Management, which targets the most prolific criminals to stop them re-offending. This is the biggest stick and the biggest carrot that he's had. Inside jail, Graham gets work experience. Outside, he'll have a job placement and a hostel place, but if Graham doesn't play ball, probation will send him straight back to jail. I'll have the chills. If you re-offend, you will be recalled to the end of your sentence. I feel different this time I do. I don't know what it is to say what I've done different or anything like that, but inside I don't know what it's to do with maybe having been away a bit longer, because in the past, prison hasn't worked for me. If Graham can leave them prison gates and stay clean for the first night, then I will be really, really happy with that and really also pleasantly surprised. One night. Shennel has been out for 11 days. He has got a place to stay with his fiance Nina, but he started drinking and today he's been involved in a serious car accident, which he can't remember. I just see you bounce off the fucking bonnet and roll onto the top and roll off the back. All right? And I mean this kid's come quite fast. I don't know what speed, but it was fast. So he was a pedestrian? Yeah, he was a pedestrian. People that weren't to stop the street, everyone's like women are crying, holding their mouths. I'm screaming blood all over my hands. It just seems like nothing ever fucking happens right for him. Do you know what I mean? Like many newly released offenders, Shennel is also struggling to get his first regular benefits payments. I come out of prison about 14 days ago, yeah? Yeah. It was like, I mean I'm doing my money and because my claim ain't been sorted out, basically I've had to like, ask people on the street for money and that, which I have been doing. They're telling me I've got to go back to the job centre and they pay me incorrectly. They give me 36 pound and then I've got to go back to put it in right in so they can fax it over and then that's why I'm on a fucking commit crime. Shennel, you're too old for this shit man, man. Come on. It's just, it's not worth it. It's not. I'm not fucking happy. I'm not happy. I'm not fucking happy at all. I'm not fucking happy. I've got to hear a walk over there. So I've got to open these people up and try and get a crisis loan. But you can't give me no money. Wait, so how do I get my, my, my, my my crisis loan done then? That's a joke, man. That's why I got not over. That's why I was here. That's why I was here. I was dead. I was dead. I was unconscious. I was dead, man. I think you were unconscious. I was dead. I was unconscious. I was dead. I'm unconscious. I'm still living. Because you were not dead. How much is your super skull? Shennel has stayed drug free, but alcohol has him in its grip once again, and he soon finds all his plans falling away. I'm looking a bit though. I thought it was a, it was about me. God, he's not a honey to me. God, he's got each other in me. It's just as soon as my dad was there, man. Look at the dog trying to comfort her. No, no. She knows that. The dog was there for you. And Nina. To see daddy's hurting. She can see daddy's hurting. I told you I'd come to breathe and cancel him with you. We'll deal with all that. We'll go anger management. Keep you occupied and myself, you know. And we can get through this, huh? We can. Don't keep him occupied. You know what man? We can, papa. We can. Hold on, y'all. Remember I told y'all. Oh, I didn't tell y'all. I'm trying to upload this other video to YouTube right now. So it's finally finished, you know, doing this little check thing. So I gotta see what, what is it now? It says partially blocked. So let's go look at it. Or let me go look at it. We'll leave this right here like that right there, sir. See what they talking about real quick, real quick. I'm gonna edit this out once again. It's kind of tough being best edited on YouTube because, you know, some people just, you know, take it for granted, you know. Y'all know what I'm saying? 93% of your audience cannot see this. Look at this one. Never just, just live. Just let me live. Only people in the United States can see it. Well, I don't need people in the United States to see it. Many people in the UK to see it. You feel me? You feel me? And you know, I, yes, I could have waited 30 minutes, but then I have no videos out today. It's nothing. Gotta get something out, man. They're probably gonna block these, but whatever. I do what it is, shawty. Dispute, yeah, we're disputing. Dispute everything. We're returning right now. Give it a shot here. Give it a hoot. Give it a holler. Feel me? Let's see. Go ahead, go ahead, get out there. Public. That's premier. Done. Safe. Stop there now, y'all. Yeah? We're gonna do this? Yeah? No. Well, trying is better than nothing. At the end of the day, like, you wanna go commit crime, you wanna go back to jail, it's easier. But you have a whole fiancée. Like, a female fiancée in your mouth, and you wanna go be surrounded by men. What are you? I get it. I get what you're saying, but I don't. Three months after his release, Sean Kearen hasn't gone back to drink. How's he going? Good. Yeah? Good. With help from a local charity, he's making the first steps to free himself from addiction. At the moment, you're in a good place, and I haven't seen you in this place since I've known you. Bottom line, I'm turning my back on the booze. It sounds a bit vague, but, you know, I've had sort of glimpses of happiness, you know? Whereas before, I was just sort of, like, muddling through and just coping and just... going through the motions, if you like, of life. Every time I see a bottle anywhere, every time I see a pub or an off-license, I mentally say expelliarmus, sir. What's that for? From Harry Potter. Harry Potter. Ha, ha, ha. That's not how it works. We're looking. That's a defensive spell. What's that? Expelliarmus. Like it was gonna disappear. I get it. Graham will leave prison tomorrow. Once he's out, he wants to stay clean and rebuild bridges with his family. You see, my relationship with my dad's not... not a good one, kind of thing. He's kind of old-school, old man. He's washed drugs, kind of thing, that if you want to stop taking him, just stop taking him, kind of thing. It's easy. Just get a job. And I think he... I think that's what he thinks. Because I've never actually asked, kind of thing. But he's not well, and I don't want to just go and fix up relationship because he's not well, but I want to fix up relationship so that we can have a relationship, kind of thing. Whatever that means, just come around every couple of days to see that they're all right, maybe take him to church or something. I think he would like to do that if I could somehow do that. I need to do the sight and date copy of the licence. 16-3-12. My stomach's not strong, you know. Butterfly is kind of thing. I'm excited as well. I'm really excited about getting out, but that still doesn't take away the fact that it's a bit of a frightening experience. Most repeat offenders walk alone from the prison gate. Right. You got a friend or something? You all right, Rachel? Because Graeme is on the IOM scheme, he is met by probation and a plainclothes police officer. The first hours and days outside are a critical period. Mick Norman has been out two days. He's still homeless and his prison cash is running out. I'll show you something that'll make you change your mind. This is where we live, because at least we're under the shelter there. We've got food out there, food there's a big room, but he's got shorts in there, and he's got his hands in there. I'll be able to grind it up and get a paper sign. Can you save me that? Yeah, of course. This is bleep, my boy. I'm getting out and this is what it is. This is the reality of it. Until benefits decides to, you know... We've got a big lump of carpet to put in there. We ain't putting it down yet, because we haven't sorted the floor out yet. We're pushing on it, getting through candles in there, brining up that and do it for the winter. We've got nowhere. So you slept here the other night? I've slept here since I came out, yeah. David's an amnesty. Yeah, I'll beg David. But before that, I was in and out of jail all my life. How long have you been here, David? Six months. Yeah, this time, six months, yeah, on the road. What's it like sleeping here every night? Very, very bad. It ain't nice, because you get people coming into the car park, and they look at you like you're a bit shit. Like, but anyone could... They could all be homeless tomorrow. Exactly. Yeah. That's a fact, but it's all... Over the next days, Mick persists with his attempts to get housing and benefits. There's no possibility of housing anywhere coming out, is there? Yeah. Don't laugh. So are you ringing up about the job centre appointment? Are you trying to sort it out, or are you ringing up about the community care grant? And I'm looking to see if there's accommodation available with you still. Then Mick gets some welcome news. Okay. His son, whom he hasn't seen for nearly two years, wants to meet him. He's made contact with me since then. We've been texting, and hopefully our next hour or two, I'll go and meet him when he's not busy, and I'm not busy. You're not busy? Sort of when he's not busy. I'm really unfortunate, you know? He said, don't go to Nen for the family for me. They're just keeping it, you know? And he's really giving me a boost today. And I've got to, because obviously, you need that support. I need a cover-up there again, you know? Yeah. Today, Shennel is at court. He's due for sentencing on an old public order offence. There's a risk he'll be sent back behind bars. The outcome is crucial for his and Nina's future. This is outside the courtroom. This man is shirtless drinking a beer. But he's drinking again. In the middle of the hearing, Shennel storms out of court. Mostly they say now, because they're saying that I've been cooperative with these a lot, I could be going to prison. Definitely isn't that how they're storming out? The details of the court case become a flash point. Do you know, Shennel, you don't need to cheat, mate. If you go in, what about you doing, mate? They turned up to that one, that's not the one. Go in. It's to say, John's why they're going to jail. Yeah, but they've got access to it. Plotting on this downfall, but my boy, you at the courthouse with a can of beer, shirtless, outside on the steps. It never looked good. It never looked good. The outcome of whatever was going on, never looked in your favor. In the end, Shennel wasn't given another prison sentence. Salute. Somebody was on your side. Instead, the court gave him a strict community order. He must get treatment for his alcohol problem under weekly supervision from probation. Nina is now desperate for Shennel to change. It's fucking affecting me, I'm so upset. Today even, again, he was going to cause more trouble and we're waiting for a verdict, sitting outside a fucking court. I mean, I've made my fucking mistakes. Please believe me, I have fucked up in my life. Big time. I have fucked up. Do you know what? I just want my life, and it don't seem to be happening with this man. It don't seem to be happening. If you want to make a change, make a fucking change, man. Do it. Don't blame it on everyone else. Everyone else has fucking fault in it. It's the system, it's this, it's that. Fucking do it with yourself. She's not wrong, she's right. Any change starts within. Graham has been out three days. Today he is booked for a work placement as a trainee gardener. Every time he's left jail before, he's gone straight back to crack cocaine, heroin and shoplifting. But this morning, he's at work on time. This is the Norway. I feel like out of everybody on that episode, he's really trying to change. And to do with the hair too as well. Do with the hair, he already had a crib and he had like a little foundation, but he hasn't drank again. But this dude, he's really at it. Maple. Yeah? That's chickweed. I don't know what that one is. That's a leaf. This is positive. This has changed what I'm doing. I don't do this. In the past, I haven't come out of prison and gone into work or anything like that. I'm keeping myself busy and out of trouble by doing this and all. That's not to say that I'm saying I've correct it or anything. It's the first day, but I hope it's the first of the many. It's the positive outlook. In three days' time, Graham is due at probation. In the past, he's never managed to attend. Graham has got through his first five days out of prison. How do you feel about how far you've come already? I feel good about it. You're going to your meetings, you're doing everything that's required of you as well on your licence. Just keep taking it one day at a time, but so far, I'm feeling really positive, do you know what I mean? Me too. Graham was about to get some tragic news. Okay. Everything's going up. One week after release, and Mick is still on the streets, but he's about to see his son for the first time in two years. And he wants to look his best. Look, this is nice. America is where it should look. Any old bags? Have a look. I don't know what's nice. They're not shoes. Well, they're a bit cohesive or not, but... You've got some lemon-pepper-steppers. I'll see you, my boy. Hands up, pal. It's so ski. Yeah, they fit as well. Yeah, that goes for me. Yves Saint Laurent, look at that. Thank you, thank you. Boy, you got Yves Saint Laurent? Yeah. I don't even own a designer shirt, and he got Yves Saint Laurent. Yves Saint Laurent, look at that. Thank you, thank you. Swag. Drip. Look at that drip. Swag. Nervous. He's a young man there, really. That shirt is truly... If they said Yves Saint Laurent, that's truly exclusive. Hey, Siri. Yves Saint Laurent. Found Yves Saint Laurent on W Sunrise Boulevard in Sunrise. I don't know what to talk about. Sorry, yeah. Wow. Six foot two. Come on. All that has done is just been praising you, and saying about how well you're doing, and that you're actually trying. Yeah. Yeah, about college, ain't it? Oh, it's YSL, yeah. YSL shirt. I'm impressed. Whoever gave one that does. Too bad, Eva. Now, when I was in the performing arts... Just performing arts? Yeah, it's a performing arts college. That's why I love it. It's full of dancers. There's like 40, 50 girls. There's a guy around the college in two twos all day. Ha! I don't care what happens to me. You know, if you never spoke to me again, they didn't do anything, and then everyone didn't. I'd have to tell me, I still wouldn't go back to prison. I can't make fuck all up, yeah. All I'll do is tell you that. I'll put you there in the future. You will do. You'll do. I can't help myself, you know what I mean? I'm fucking off your bitch, you know what I mean? Boy. Yeah, he's just... Just emotions, innit? You know what I mean? Oh, by the way, you're a little man from there. I know, because... Yeah. I've got to do whatever happens. I'm not going back to prison, you know. The drinking drug is out of the window, and if I've got to sleep out the tree for the next three weeks, I will. Come on. I love you. I love you, too. That's good, man. It's funny, when you get older and you've broken what you lost in the time you missed out on things. He was proud. You realise what really matters, and you're 43 now. I realise what matters is your mum and your dad and your family and your kids. What's that? Have you got a phone call? He was born in three homes or something? Born in Sydney, guys. That's just given me the boost for the next three weeks, whatever I face. I could not let that boy down again. I wish I had a kid at 23. When we met Shannon again, he'd spent the previous night sleeping rough, believing his relationship was over. And you're not in the flat anymore? No. So you've been sleeping on benches? In the park, yeah. And hybrids? I'm not close from committing a crime. I haven't done it for five months, but I will. You're telling me I will? Oh, man, hey, man. I just want my life on track. That's all I'm crying for, man. My life on track. Did you say I'm not getting it? That's honestly sad. As part of his sentence, Shannon's progress must now be monitored every week by a probation officer. Shannon's, particularly his most recent offending issues, are all linked to his alcohol very much, getting into altercations with people, becoming violent, being threatening and abusive in his language and his behaviour. So that, I guess, is why the court was so keen to throw this opportunity for the alcohol treatment, because if Shannon can look at that and address that, a lot of the risk may dissipate. It's hard for you as people think alcohol is. Man, it can change who you are. Detox is available for Shannon, but first he must attend group assessment. And so far, he's told probation that although he desperately wants Detox, he won't go to the group. If you put me in a fucking Detox, what's going on, mate? You're doing nothing with a Detox. I want a Detox. I know him. No, no. He's scared. I know him. No, no. He jumped hard. I know him. Breach me, mate. Breach me, because I'd rather do my Detox in jail. Okay. What? I'm getting pissed off. What? I know. Dad, you know what, mate? I've come here, I've seen you, you're talking shit to me. You haven't let me talk at all. I've come to talk. Okay, so my understanding of the situation was that there's also this thing called the options group, which is down at the Margaret Centre, to go to that as part of the What am I going to see in a group fault? For what? This is your ego right here talking, man. Your ego, your pride. Let it go. Let it go, my boy. Go sit down with those people talking out so you can get where you need to be in life. No, no, no, no, no. I am not going. And I'm changing that now. I've got a drinking problem and I want to help with it. I'm not going to sit in a fucking group. The detox is not enough because obviously you detoxed in jail, but now you're drunk again. You got to talk to somebody to get to the root of that, my boy. And talking shit. Sorry, Danny. I'm not doing it. It's really hard for me to help you when you come in like this. Oh, no, no. I'm sleeping in the park. Okay, there's a lot of stuff. When were you sleeping? In the crib. Sober. Open-mindedly. What do you mean? It's not really relevant. Why is that relevant? When were you sleeping in the house? Or flat? No, he was really sitting here like every decision he made in his life did not lead him to his situation right now. What are you talking about? What? Okay, thank you. Graham was working at the garden centre when his boss received a call. I had a phone call from this woman who introduced herself as Graham's mother and she said, I've got some awful news. Graham's father's died. Oh, man. And he was trying to get right to go get in a relationship with his father, wasn't he? He went to the office and he looked at me not knowing what's going on and I just said to sit there and I've got something to tell you. And I just did think this is a lightly trigger for him to go back on the drugs again. Graham's not doing so well at the moment and so he's been recalled on his licence. He provided three positive drug tests in a row. It's tragic. You see, you work with these offenders and just as I get an effort on the ladder something else tragic happens. Once probation has recalled Graham to prison it's the police's job to arrest him. But Graham cannot be found at any known address. He's on the run. I'm sticking and moving. Two months later. For Channel things are starting to go right despite all his problems. Seven months after leaving prison he is cooperating with probation and has got assessment for detox. He has stayed off drugs out of trouble and his bond with Nina survives. Here you go. He's my baby. I love him. I love him to bits. We want what I suppose we just want a normal life. I don't want to be meeting any other people, anyone else. Do you know what I mean? Yeah, yeah. Can I talk to someone about getting married? Yeah, just get to it with this job. Go straight down first. There's a book there. These are the options you need to bring. You need to make an appointment for it. You need to come in together for big women. I'm getting married. I can't wait. It's the longest I've ever been out of prison. Thanks to Nina. If it weren't for Nina I don't know what I'd be doing now. So you're right, my boy. That's your son. This is your piece. After four weeks of trying Mick Norman finally got a place to stay. Then things moved on quicker than he could ever have imagined. The place I got, which is the studio flat I ain't back in the palace but I'm grateful. You know, it's big enough for me. I've moved in there within two weeks before he's landed on me. When I was running, can I take my son back? Over the moon, who would have said that three months ago? You're going to have your son live with you. Oh, OK. Mick's new role is to get a teenager out of bed in time for college. I bet he's still asleep. 50 to 30 times. I'm not even going to lie, that's a nice little studio. This is your place anyway? Yeah. Nice big room. It's pretty nice. Nice little kitchen. Bathroom is decent. There's your chair. There's your towel floor, silly. When you used to get this 8x12 cell for years I mean, this is like that for a minute. Hospital bed. That is alright, he's good stuff. He's on his own journey, you know. What have you lost? Nothing. Do you have a blue one today? No, I'm looking for the blue ones. Them. I've got to sort out the laces on them because they got that tight the other day. I literally had to cut the laces in order for me to get... Oh, it's because when we grew up we used to have to try and do air laces and then do them up when we put them on. We'd just tie them up once and then slip them on. First of all, my dad's been walking around in these 70 pound pair of exclusive Adidas trainers. Who are they? When? Who cooks? Who cooks? Who does the shopping? Who does the washing? Yeah, talk about it. No comment. No comment. Can't have a share. My life is right around crime. Around addiction. Around alcoholism. Everything in my... Can't have a share. Fix your hat, bro. Where are you from? Fix your hat. My life is right around crime. Around addiction. Around alcoholism. Everything in my life that I thought was gone. Lost. Never coming back. For the last couple of years when I've been going back to prison because I've been homeless. I've suddenly got back. I'm not allowed to fail. I don't want to fail. No, you're not allowed to fail. You've been granted the second chance of a lifetime. Graham Shields had been recalled to prison after the death of his father. Is he back? Do you want to call him? But he evaded arrest by the police for a month. Now he's back at Pentonville. I was engaging this how I know how I'm not taught. I was trying to... You were engaging brilliantly. It was just a shame that you couldn't maintain that. As mad as it sounds, I was... I felt happy when I come back to jail. Did you do something? That was it. I knew I didn't have to look over my back no more because I'm walking down all the way where I'm thinking, is this the time? Yeah, yeah. When I did use, I think I weren't enjoying it. I'm not saying it's different. I was going out and I'm enjoying the smoking or I was having a good time on it. I went, I won't. We live and learn, don't we? Yeah, of course. How many times are you going to live and learn? Graham's brief period of success on the outside has given him some consolation. He died five days after I got out. So I didn't get a lot of time with him. But... Oh, you OK? I'm just glad that he's seen me going to work and doing positive things rather than I come out and spend my money on cracking heroin and then I'm like... Why is there so movie in the background? I was wavy. They come around to borrow money, for instance. The good news is, in my experience of probation the fact that he went that far means that next time he'll go that far and hopefully we'll just keep getting a little bit further each time. Well, coming into that prison and things like that, I know that I'll change up and do it again and again and again. After prison, Graham went to rehab. He was stayed out of trouble. He was free on drugs last summer.