The sudden departure of Shaz has left a vacant cell on G-Wing—but it’s immediately filled by a mystery blonde, the highly glamorous Snowball Merriman. She claims to be a Hollywood actress and naturally, Fenner is soon falling over himself to become her personal officer. Fenner is surprised when he learns that Snowball is an avid reader, but ever the opportunist, he offers to try and get her a job in the library, making it clear that he would expect something in return. Yvonne is quick to realise what Fenner is up to and doesn’t like it. She makes a point of taking Snowball aside and warning her of Fenner’s reputation—any decision to ally herself with him could cost her dearly.

Hollamby smugly informs Denny that Shaz has been shipped out. Predictably, Denny freaks out and ends up being dragged down the block. Yvonne is convinced that Shaz was transferred out because someone grassed her up and lets it be known that she won’t rest until she finds the culprit. She is shocked when Barbara owns up to confiding in Henry. Meanwhile, poor Henry is left reeling when Barbara tears a strip off him and takes a trip down to the block to visit Denny. He is appalled when he discovers that it is Denny’s 21st birthday and makes an effort to speak with her. Denny is hostile at first, but begins to soften up when Henry shows interest in her background and her concerns that she hasn’t seen her mother in over a year. Concerned about Denny’s state of mind, Henry goes to see Neil. Hollamby is furious when Neil orders her to return Denny to the wing and then instructs her to locate Jessie’s whereabouts.

Neil has been blackmailed and manipulated into asking Di to move in with him, but when it comes to the crunch, he can’t go through with it. Di is remarkably understanding—she knew all along that Neil was gay—and suggests that they should get married, an arrangement that would provide them both with the perfect front. Back on G-Wing, Snowball does a deal with Fenner—he’ll make life easier for her, if she keeps him informed of what’s happening on the wing. Little does he know that Snowball has her own little scam set up and is receiving contraband concealed inside the books that she is requesting through the Inter Library Loan Scheme.

After being put under extreme pressure by Cassie, Roisin decides to tell Aidan the truth when he brings the children in for a visit. However, Cassie gets in there first and drops the bombshell. Aidan is furious and drags the children away, but not before telling Roisin that she’ll never see them again. Roisin convinces Cassie that she’s relieved now that the truth is out, but it’s not long before she goes in search of a little something to take the edge off her despair, eventually settling for a syringe full of heroin.

Yvonne is convinced that there’s something not quite right about Snowball and sets out to prove it. Thanks to the Internet, she discovers that Snowball is not the Hollywood actress she claims to be—she’s a porn star! But when Yvonne tries to humiliate Snowball by passing this information around the wing, Snowball proves that she’s no pushover. Dropping the American drawl in favour of an accent that is pure Lancashire, she tells a sob story about following her dream to the States only to be manipulated into starring in porn movies. The other women are sympathetic and Yvonne is left feeling that Snowball has just gotten the better of her.

After their attack on Rhiannon’s pimp, Damian, the Julies are on trial for GBH. Their story is self-defence, but when Hollamby takes the witness stand, they don’t have a hope in hell of being believed. Even Rhiannon is determined to punish them for pouring hot water on her ‘boyfriend’s’ lap and viciously demolishes her mother’s character. However, it’s Damian’s evidence that really cooks their goose when he graphically describes the extent of his injuries to a sympathetic jury. The jury are definitely on Damian’s side and waste no time in finding both Julies guilty of GBH with intent.

Episode Factsheet
What is the role of a personal officer?
Find out in the fact sheet compiled by The Centre for Crime
and Justice Studies.

Episode 13 - Personal Officers