A Bit of a Stretch - The Podcast

Aug 02 2024 18 ep. 23 mins 403

A Bit of a Stretch - The Podcast artwork

Chris Atkins is a documentary maker who went to prison for tax fraud in 2016. He spent nine months in HMP Wandsworth, one of the most dangerous prisons in the UK, and has written about his surreal experiences in his bestselling book A Bit of a Stretch. After his release he interviewed 20 ex-prisoners about their time in jail, and turned the recordings into season 1 of this podcast. Their stories are shocking, uplifting, heartbreaking, hilarious, and often downright weird, taking you headfirst into the biggest prison crisis in history. It reveals a collapsing system that is failing victims and wider society, and reveals how the human spirit can thrive in the darkest corners. Each episode is centred around a different theme, like Arrival, Family and Change, and was a huge hit on its release and the winner of the Criminal Justice Alliance media award in 2021.

Over the last two years Chris has discovered a lot these contributors have gone back to prison, sometimes several times, and so he's written a follow up book Time After Time, asking why so many prisoners reoffend. It follows a colourful cast of criminals who just can't go straight, including Alex who spent nine months living in luxury hotels pretending to be the Duke of Marlborough, and Ed who has been recalled to prison four times since his release, despite not being convicted of any further offences. Season 2 of the podcast will dip into some of these crazy stories, as Chris interviews a fascinating cast of convicts as they cycle through our hideously dysfunctional justice system.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Cold in Your Bones

Aug 02 2024 24 mins

Nick worked in the library at HMP Wandsworth when Chris was banged up there in 2016. They didn't stay in touch, but a few years later Nick heard this podcast and got in contact. In this touching interview, Nick reveals the challenges he faced after his release and how the benefits system is rigged against prisoners and he was left to sleep on the streets in the winter months. He ad

Sing When You're Winning

Jul 26 2024 23 mins

When Chris was in HMP Wandsworth he joined MJ's Liberty Choir, which he called "Spinsters and Spiceheads" as it was made up of volunteer women of a certain age and some of the prison's more colourful drug addicts. Eight years on, Chris goes back to rehearse with the choir once again, to learn about the amazing work they do in rehabilitating offenders and showing that there are real

You're nicked

Jul 19 2024 27 mins

Meet ex-cop Peter Bleksley, who spent years undercover busting some of Britain's biggest crime gangs. But one day a suspicious accident blew his cover forcing him into hiding - with a contract out on his life. Peter has since become an unlikely TV celebrity as the star of Channel 4's Hunted. Chris and Peter come from opposite sides of the argument on prison reform, but still have a

London Bridge

Sep 22 2023 33 mins

Marc Conway was an extremely disturbed and dangerous criminal for many years. He grew up on a crime ridden estate in the 80s, and by his teens he was a prolific armed robber. He served ten prison sentences, which only made him more violent and accelerated his offending. In his twenties he was convicted of a horrific home invasion and was given an IPP sentence. This could have meant

I Met My Brother's Killer

Sep 12 2023 32 mins

Simon Dawson was brutally murdered by two car thieves in 1998. It shattered the life of his twin brother Nick, who's likeness enabled the police to catch the killers. Nearly twenty Years later Nick was given the chance to meet one of the men responsible as part of a programme of restorative justice. Nick finally confronted the perpetrator but he did get the answers he needed? And w

Prison Break

Aug 31 2023 19 mins

Meet Simon Maclellan, who escaped from a high security jail pretending to be his twin brother in 2009. For the very first time Simon explains how he managed to fool dozens of prison officers, several court staff and even a judge, and why his daring escape completely humiliated the authorities. Since then Simon has cycled through the prison system over and over again, having been co

Total Recall

Aug 24 2023 20 mins

Ed Cooley was convicted of drugs and firearms offences in 2014 and given ten years and eight months. Like most prisoners he was released on license halfway through, but he's since been recalled back to jail four times despite not being convicted of any new crimes. Chris and Ed's girlfriend Jess drove up to meet Ed when he was released from one of these recalls, and drive down to Lo

The Fake Duke

Aug 24 2023 19 mins

In 2015 Alexander Wood made the national news for being convicted of fraud, after staying in over thirty elite hotels masquerading as the Duke of Marlborough. Chris Atkins met Alex in HMP Wandsworth, and they recently met up outside Claridge's in Mayfair where Alex revealed how he managed to con so many hotels. Alex is very long way from the stereotypical criminal, as he grew up in

Loose Ends

Dec 29 2020 23 mins

All the great material that didn't fit into previous episodes. Includes George Gilbey, star of Gogglebox and Celebrity Big Brother, who got 3 months for drink driving. And "Simon" reveals how D Cat prisoners smuggle in cheese for xmas parties. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pandemic in Prisons

Dec 01 2020 23 mins

The pandemic took a hammer blow to an already collapsing prison system. Chris was in touch with several inmates still serving their sentences, and they allowed us to record their calls to reveal the shocking state of prisons during the crisis. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.