A to Z of HMP Larkhall
T
Tattoo
Shaz and Denny tattooed their names on each other’s palms with the aid of a nail and biro ink (s3ep5). Also a hopeless romantic, Di had Barry’s name tattooed inside a heart on her chest (s4pe2). Al commissioned Bev to design her a tattoo of a mermaid in exchanged for a wrap of heroin (s6ep1). Pat has a tattoo on her arm dedicated to Lucy, her best friend from childhood. They lived in the same children’s home and were both abused by the Priest and nuns who ran it until Lucy committed suicide.
Text Messages
Sent from Ritchie Atkins to Karen – ‘WAN2SCREW?’ – subtle! (s4ep12). Natalie persuaded Spiers to steal Di’s mobile phone for her. She used it to send a text message to one of her contacts, setting up a hit on Fenner and incriminating Di in the process. Whether or not the plan would have worked is unknown as Fenner was killed by Julie J shortly afterwards (s7ep10).
The Three Julies
Tina underwent a major transformation after being rejected by her father at Maxi’s funeral. She died her hair blonde, started wearing mini-skirts and changed her name to Julie O’Kane (s4ep12). For a short while, the two Julies became three.
The Two Julies
Nickname by which Julie Johnston and Julie Saunders are collectively known by Larkhall’s inmates and screws.
Tinker
The Julies found a stray cat by the bins, adopted him and named him Tinker. When Tinker went missing, ‘Podger’ Pam Jolly was accused of kidnapping him. It later transpired that Tinker was in fact Tinkerbell – she was later discovered nursing kittens in the potting-shed (s3ep6).
Tits
As in Shell’s obsession with all things mammary. A great deal of her threats seemed to involve ripping off and then force-heading their breasts to her victims. A psychologist would no doubt have a field day!
Toilet Cistern
Shaz and Denny placed washing powder in the cisterns of the G-Wing toilets. Cue complete chaos the next morning when the toilets were flushed and then overflowed with foam (s2ep10). Selena made copies of her keys and hid them inside a toilet cistern for Kris to retrieve before she made her doomed attempt to escape through the hanging cell (s6ep1).
After chipping an ice dagger out of the side of a freezer, Julie J wrapped it in tin foil and then hid it inside a toilet cistern. The cold water kept it from melting until she had chance to use it to stab Fenner to death (s7ep10).
Toilet Cubicle
Apart from the obvious, there always seems to be a lot going on inside G-Wing’s littlest rooms. Quite a lot of injecting heroin has gone on over the years, Zandra and Colin being the chief offenders. Shell and Fenner have shared the odd interlude, and Zandra collapsed and started fitting in one and had to be rescued by Di (s2ep7). Charlotte Myddleton locked herself inside a toilet cubicle and then tried to commit suicide by tying a plastic bag over her head (s3ep9).
Tongue Piercing
Shaz and Denny were so impressed by Buki’s tongue piercing that they decided to do their own. Denny ended up almost bleeding to death and then spent the next few weeks recovering from blood poisoning (s3ep5).
Top-dog
Name given to the inmate who is the unofficial leader of the wing. Shell, Phyl, Natalie and Maxi have all aspired to the role, but it is interesting to note that a ‘true’ top-dog never refers to herself by the title and in some cases, is reluctant to take on the role. Nikki was G-Wing’s chief spokeswoman until Yvonne arrived (s1ep9) and assumed the mantle. After her death, Phyl (s6ep1-ep3) and Natalie (s6ep5-s7ep7) took over. Natalie’s reign was brought to a end by Pat who took her on in order to save Arun from her bullying (s7ep7).
Tranquillisers
Also called jellies, benzos, norries, vallies, moggies, mazzies, roofies and downers, tranquillisers are manmade drugs produced to treat anxiety, depression and insomnia. There are hundreds of different tranquillisers on the market but most common are the Benzodiazepines – benzos – which come in over fifty different forms. Zandra was almost always zonked out on tranquillisers. She and Shell blackmailed Lorna into smuggling some on to G-Wing (s1ep6-ep7).
Transfer
When an inmate is moved from one prison to another. Transfers in to Larkhall have included Mad Tessa Spall from HMP Newby (s2ep5), Phyl and Bev (s5ep13), Pat (s7ep6) and Julie J and Miranda Miles (s7ep13).
Transfers out of Larkhall include Pam Jolly (s3ep6), Charlotte Myddleton (s3ep11), Phyl and Bev (s5ep7) and Denny (s5ep16) all of whom were destined for open prison. Nikki was shipped out of Larkhall after slapping Dominic, but was later returned to Larkhall when Helen experienced a change of heart (s2ep2). Shaz was transferred to HMP Bridgeway as a punishment for beating Maxi up (s4ep12). Kris was bound for HMP Brightwell when she escaped from the van that was transporting her (s6ep11). Shell was transferred to a secure hospital after being falsely accused of trying to smother her baby (s5ep4).
Travel Warrant
Given to a prisoner upon their release to pay for their journey to the place they have said they are going to live. There was a problem with Crystal’s travel warrant that delayed her final release. Di and Dominic invited her in to the PO’s Office while she was waiting, giving her the opportunity to steal Hollamby’s clock (s2ep13).
Trevor
David Saunders’ father. Trevor was Julie S’s childhood sweetheart, but when she fell pregnant, his family forced them to split up. Trevor met up with Julie again when she was released on electronic tag and, despite misgiving about her criminal past, hoped to resurrect their relationship after her release (s3ep3). This all fell through when both Julies were arrested literally seconds after being released (s3ep12).
Tribunal
Egged on by Di, Fenner took Neil to a tribunal for sexual misconduct (s6ep10). Although Fenner won the case, the verdict was overturned when he was later arrested for causing death by dangerous driving (s6ep12).
Trip Switch
A switch that allows an electrician to turn off the electricity to a certain part of a building. Yvonne paid Josh £20,000 to trip out the lights on G-Wing (s4ep1). In the darkness and confusion that followed, Yvonne stole Hollamby’s keys and made her way out of the prison, eventually to be caught by Karen as she was scaling the wall (s4ep2).
Trisha
Nikki’s ex-girlfriend and business partner. Despite being the main reason for Nikki’s life sentence – Nikki killed a copper who was trying to rape her – she ended up dumping her for another woman (s1ep4). The new relationship didn’t last very long and Trisha did hope that she and Nikki would get back together after her release. However, Helen had other ideas (s3ep16).
Tull, Bev
Phyl is the arty and bohemian half of the Costa Cons and certainly the one with the more addictive personality. For a while she struggled with a heroin addiction, but after nearly dying from an overdose (s6ep2), she managed to get her life back in order. She and Phyl were soon back to their old tricks and began to charm cream cakes out the baker’s delivery man to swap for bottles of booze before jumping on the chance to escape to Spain (s7ep9). Both were eventually apprehended and sent back to Larkhall.
Read Bev’s character profile.
Turner, Tanya
Glamorous footballers’ wife who swapped her Hello! magazine lifestyle for a cell on G-Wing after being convicted of possession (s6ep6). Fans of Footballers’ Wives will know that the drugs were planted on Tanya by her nemesis Amber Gates. Tanya was eventually released after she colluded with Frances to set up Rick Revoir, a yardie who had been blackmailing them both (s6ep8).
Read Tanya’s character profile.
Tunnel
Dug by Shaz, Denny and Buki in a Great Escape inspired moment of madness. The tunnel started underneath the potting-shed and was supposed to go all the way under the prison garden to the other side of the wall. Unfortunately, the tunnel collapsed while Buki was working in it, leading to a brush with death for her and the ruination of the escape plan (s4ep6).
Twat
Slang for a certain southerly part of a woman’s anatomy. Used quite regularly as an insult by the inmates and screws of G-Wing, although in Zandra’s case, it was also used as a noun and adjective.
Tyler, Cassie
A high-flying City whiz-kid who was jailed for embezzling her firm’s funds. Her PA and secret girlfriend Roisin was also sent down for trying to cover Cassie’s tracks and a whole series of angst and arguments followed before Roisin finally came out to her husband. Along with Roisin, Cassie received a pardon after rescuing Neil from the fire that followed Snowball’s bomb (s4ep16).