Britain’s most dangerous prisoners get Quorn roasts for Christmas dinner

Christmas Day menus have been put together for prisoners at top security jails in England (Picture: Shutterstock/Ministry of Justice/Metro)

Quorn roasts and vegan rolls are on health-conscious menus being offered to some of Britain’s most dangerous prisoners over Christmas. 

Inmates at HMP Wakefield, dubbed ‘Monster Mansion’, can choose from a festive vegan slice, potato, spinach, cheese and chive roll and halal hot and spicy chicken fillet for lunch today.

The festive catering across several Category A jails in England also encompasses halal and vegetarian options as well as traditional turkey roasts with all the trimmings. 

The traditional fare of a turkey roast comes with a stuffing ball and a sausage wrapped in bacon, which, like the other mains, comes with roast potatoes, sprouts, carrots and gravy.

For dessert, a vegan Christmas pudding is on offer, or those who want to stay away from cakes, they can opt for a banana instead.

Teatime ‘grab packs’ include a fruit cake slice, mince pie, bag of crisps, satsuma, pack of biscuits, gingerbread reindeer and apple juice.

Boxing day lunch options include a Field & Forest ‘no meat sausage roll’ — made with an oyster mushroom base — a Quorn meat free roast and a Halal chicken curry slice.  

Afterwards, they can drink a mango and orange iced smoothie.

Prisoners at Belmarsh have a healthy range of menu items to choose from over the festive season (Picture: Susannah Ireland/REX/Shutterstock)

Pictures of a jolly Father Christmas adorn the Christmas Day menu offered to some of the most high-risk inmates in the country.

The list ends with a picture of a merry snowman and the message: ‘Merry Christmas to one and all from the Kitchen Staff.’  

Prolific serial killer Harold Shipman, who died in January 2004, Jeremy Bamber, who killed five members of his own family, and black cab rapist John Worboys are among the past and present inmates at the men’s jail in West Yorkshire. 

Earlier this month, Metro reported how Reynhard Sinaga, the UK’s most prolific serial rapist, was attacked at the prison where he was serving a 40-year sentence before being moved to Frankland.

At HMP Belmarsh, Christmas Day options include a Quorn roast, chicken breast, sliced turkey and fish fillet cooked with prawns and chilli butter.  

Inmates can add sides including roast potatoes, carrots, Brussels sprouts, parsnips, pigs in blankets and sage and onion stuffing and gravy.

Tea time is a choice from vegan sausage rolls, a festive turkey slice and instant noodles, all served with a mince pie and winter spiced flapjack.  

The Christmas Day menu at HMP Wakefield showing the fare inmates can choose from (Picture: Ministry of Justice)

Current and past inmates at the jail in Thamesmead, south-east London, include Soham killer Ian Huntley, Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, the great train robber Ronnie Biggs and Henry Long, Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers, the three killers of PC Andrew Harper.     

At HMP Manchester, a Quorn meat free roast comes with roast and boiled potatoes and seasonal vegetables.

A traditional meat dinner is also available.

The dessert choice at the jail is between a Christmas pudding or a sliced ‘Wicked’ fruit cake. 

Tea time items at the jail, formerly known as Strangeways, include a beetroot carrot chickpea wrap or vegan sausage roll.

Each comes with scones, jam, a butter portion, cheese, crackers, vegan Jaffa cakes, soya yoghurt, banana and mince pie.  

A general view of Wakefield prison in West Yorkshire where a festive menu is being provided for inmates (Picture: Gareth Copley/PA Wire)

The jail’s list of notorious inmates over the years has included Shipman, who was held there before his trial, and Moors murderer Ian Brady.   

Entertainment at Wakefield includes a carol service in the chapel and pool and chess competitions on the wings, while Belmarsh is also holding some unspecified in-house games over Christmas.

While special provision is being made for the festive season, the prison system is widely viewed as being in crisis. 

The Howard League for Penal Reform has warned of ‘dire conditions’ within the estate in England and Wales.

In a warning about a projected rise in prison numbers, the campaign group said earlier this month: ‘The prison system is already severely overcrowded, with more than half of jails in England and Wales holding more people than they are designed to accommodate.

A menu at HMP Belmarsh lists the Christmas week 2022 choices including jerk chicken and vegetable cous cous (Picture: MoJ)

‘A long line of official inspection reports published in recent months have revealed how rising numbers are contributing to dire conditions, with many people in prison spending hours on end locked inside their cells with nothing to do.’ 

The menus were released by the Ministry of Justice under the Freedom of Information Act after a request by Metro.

Prisons are allocated £2.70 per inmate, per day to spend on three meals.

The rules stipulate they are varied, nutritious and meet the religious, cultural and medical needs of all under lock and key.

The Prison Service maintains that all meals offered to prisoners meet nutritional guidelines set out by the Food Standards Agency and the Department of Health and Social Care.

A spokesperson said: ‘Each meal in prison costs 90p on average and meals at Christmas are no different.’

Do you have a story you would like to share? Contact josh.layton@metro.co.uk  

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