Karen is back from her holidays—and who should be there to meet her at the prison gates but Ritchie Atkins? Fearing a conflict of interest, Karen goes straight to Neil and informs him about her relationship with Ritchie. Neil is blasé, he doesn’t see that it is anything for him to worry about, but does warn Karen to make sure that she keeps her personal life completely separate from work. Karen also decides to come clean to Yvonne who can’t believe her ears—not only is Karen a screw, but she’s also considerably older than Ritchie. Yvonne tears a strip off Ritchie when he next visits. Although he can’t see what his mum’s problem it, he promises to stop seeing Karen. A relieved Yvonne then agrees his request for a large amount of money to help him set up a mini-cab firm.

The Three Julies have signed up for education classes—although Julie S is a lot more keen than Julies J and O’K, and she soon hatches a plan to make use of her new-found talents as a poet at the forthcoming Open Day. Meanwhile, Hollamby disposes of another of Shaz’s letters to Denny, but is observed by Barbara. Denny is furious when she hears the news, but cheers up when she reads that Shaz’s new Governor has given his permission for an inter-prison visit. All they need is Neil’s go-ahead and they will be able to see each other again. Despite Hollamby’s best efforts to put a spanner in the works, both Neil and Karen agree to the request.

Roisin, shaken by her spell on the infamous muppet wing, is now drug-free and back on the straight and narrow. Cassie meanwhile has been doing a lot of hard thinking and has realised that concern for her own feelings caused her to underestimate how devastated Roisin was to be separated from her children. In order to make amends, Cassie has decided to put her computer skills to good use by searching for Buki’s son on the Internet. Buki is devastated when she learns that Lennox was born with a congenital condition called CMT and is now confined to a wheelchair.

Snowball continues to wrap everyone on G-Wing around her little finger. She asks a besotted Al to steal Yvonne’s digital radio and then persuades Henry to give her an old cassock that belonged to one of his predecessors. Just what is she up to? Having already convinced Fenner that Yvonne is planning to escape, Snowball also manages to distract him with the news that Karen may be helping her.

Di and Neil prepare for their hen and stag nights. Di’s hen night is marred by Hollamby complaining about her own marital problems, and Fenner is suspicious when he realises that Neil’s ‘stag night’ is actually a private dinner for two. Fenner loosens up after several rounds of drinks and a visit from a lap-dancer. In fact, he is so distracted by her ample charms that he doesn’t notice when Neil spikes his drink. When the drug takes hold, Fenner doesn’t know where (or who) he is and even seems to be enjoying the fact that Neil has finally gotten into his underpants!

In the library, Snowball gathers together the bags of ingredients that Ritchie has smuggled into her. She mixes a little of the contents of each and then uses an eyedropper to squeeze a small amount of liquid on top. Snowball stands back and smiles as the mixture produces a small explosion and flames.

Episode Factsheet
How many inmates take part in education?
What are the issues surrounding privatisation?
Find out in the fact sheet compiled by The Centre for Crime
and Justice Studies.

Episode 15 - Prison Education & Privatisation