Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AMA
Original poster

I've been to prison AMA!

178 replies

NameChanger1987 · 10/07/2018 17:03

I was in a closed prison for 2 months then 4 months in an open prison. It was 5 years ago for a 'white collar' crime.

I know a lot of my friends irl always had lots of questions so wondered if you lot had the same?!

OP posts:
Mooey89 · 10/07/2018 21:56

Thanks for starting this thread Op.
I’m struggling really to get my head around the actual reality of your crime - I feel like you were made an example of and very unlucky in that respect.

Etymology23 · 10/07/2018 21:57

I think this article seems to describe what you did?

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/money/2012/feb/03/fsa-sale-and-rent-back-shut-down

As far as I can see it, the person wouldn’t have committed fraud if they had honestly declared the price paid for the house, but this would limit the sum lent by the mortgage company, so instead they put perhaps what they believe to be the market value, instead which bumps up the amount they can borrow. But that can’t go into a bank account because you would have to show source of funds etc, so the mortgage company could find out, so then it sits on cash or gets spent?

Sounds like a horrible time in prison OP, I would have really struggled mentally I think.

Blackbirdblue30 · 10/07/2018 22:04

Were you amongst people who had done very violent things or murder?

BrazzleDazzleDay · 10/07/2018 22:18

I worked in hostels for years in a city very close to a womens prison, Id say 99% of the residents were continuous jail-hostel-jail etc. Quite a fewmost of them preferred being in prison. Did you meet others like that? Whats your take on it?

kaytee87 · 10/07/2018 22:21

kaytee They were 4 and 7 months.

ShockSad I don't know how I would cope if I were separated from 2yo ds.

Original poster
NameChanger1987 · 10/07/2018 22:42

That’s it etymology, it’s a really stupid greedy crime.

It’s not so much made an example of as keeping in line with other sentences. The judge didn’t seem to take any pleasure in sentencing, he talked about how it’s so difficult but the problem was that other judges were giving custodial sentences so he felt like it had to keep in line.

Yes, there were people who had murdered. There were people who didn’t talk about their crimes and the old joke of ‘everyone’s innocent in here’.

OP posts:
Original poster
NameChanger1987 · 10/07/2018 22:43

Oh and kaytee it was horrendous but the alternative was to try and get a placement in Mother and Baby for 7 month old but then leaving 4yr old out. I decided wrongly or rightly that them both being outside with my parents was better.

OP posts:
Original poster
NameChanger1987 · 10/07/2018 22:45

brazzle yes I said earlier there was one woman who when released was crying to come back in. I really think the routine institutionalises you and if you don’t have a great support network outside, I can see why inside is preferable. In the main there’s food, friends and a safe place to sleep. I personally hated it but I have a family and friends and a home.

OP posts:
esk1mo · 10/07/2018 23:09

it sounds so horrible and quite a harsh punishment when you think that sex offenders and drug dealers get punished with less, not even jail time.

Original poster
NameChanger1987 · 10/07/2018 23:15

esk1mo it’s probably no surprise that agree! But, it was all part of ‘taking the cash out crime’ and at the end of the day I knew what I was doing and was greedy. It wasn’t an accident, I did it for financial gain. I took the risk and upset my family, spent time away from my children all so I could get a nice car.

OP posts:
ILikeyourHairyHands · 10/07/2018 23:16

Ahh, so Beryl has a house worth 100,000. You buy it from her for 50,000 but get a mortgage for 90,000 to do so and pocket the 40k difference. Beryl then pays you rent which covers a (presumably interest only) mortgage. Beryl dies, you sell the house for however much and clear off the existing mortgage and pocket any remaining proceeds?

So the crime was not the buy and rent back but defrauding mortgage companies by getting mortgages for higher than you were paying for house.

Because even though what you were doing to Beryl was highly unethical, it's not illegal for someone yo sell you their house below market value.

Yes?

NewName54321 · 10/07/2018 23:17

Do your friends and community know that you've been to prison?

ILikeyourHairyHands · 10/07/2018 23:18

Didn't see page two before posting that!

Apologies for x post.

Original poster
NameChanger1987 · 10/07/2018 23:22

Don’t worry hairy I know it’s super confusing! It was my own confusion that for me caught!

Yes newname I live in a small community so everyone knew/knows.

OP posts:
Original poster
NameChanger1987 · 10/07/2018 23:24

I’m not excusing myself but I just wanted to add that I did give tenants a book and tenancy agreement and didn’t sell under them and I did pay the mortgages. I’m not innocent but I never went that low.

OP posts:
Parsley1234 · 10/07/2018 23:41

Name you were unlucky you were made an example of - terrible re your children. I think you weren’t the first and won’t be the last I see it as doing a good service. When people are in dire straits having put their heads in the sand their homes get repossessed and they have to be rehomed but their are no houses you provided a service. I’m sorry what happened to you

Itscominghomeyesitis · 11/07/2018 05:52

You're very honest and insightful OP.

I love the fact that so many people want to excuse or minimise your offence whereas if you'd posted about benefit fraud or not scanning all your items at the checkout..you know the MN reaction!

IamReginaFalange · 11/07/2018 06:10

What did you spend the money on?

tryagainsardines · 11/07/2018 06:21

Great thread. Thank you for your honesty op!

parklives · 11/07/2018 08:21

I agree with the pp that op you seem to be made an example of, it's well known that women get much harsher sentences than men too.
Glad to read the experience hasn't ruined your future.
Do you talk about it with your children?

Itscominghomeyesitis · 11/07/2018 09:33

Not true. Men are twice as likely as females to be remanded in custody. If remanded, men are more likely than women to go on to receive an immediate custodial sentence.

Males more likely to be given an immediate custodial sentence from court than women. Custody is the most common sentence for men, community orders most common for women (this can be due to the offence).

Of those sentenced to custody for indictable offences, average sentences are lower for women compared with men for ALL offence groups.

BIWI · 11/07/2018 10:53

By the way, OP, don't worry about @lynmilne65 and her comments. She has a record for bitchplopping on threads. Always from some kind of faux moral high ground.

MrBig1 · 11/07/2018 11:03

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Original poster
NameChanger1987 · 11/07/2018 13:52

ItsComing I think you're right, possibly because people don't like banks! I don't know but, same sort of thing- greed. I think regarding sentences it depends on the offence like you said. Serious violence for example isn't as common for female as male but more likely to be custodial. In my case I was given more than some men and less than other men.

I'm pleased you've found it interesting. I just thought that all we really see is fictional TV/Film or male prison documentaries in the main.

OP posts:
iheartfriday · 11/07/2018 14:17

Really interesting. I've found getting my head around your crime tricky because although I kind of get it, you would have eventually paid the bank back the amount you borrowed, even if it was inflated, like we all do with mortgages. So depriving 2 kids of their mother seems so harsh. But then motherhood can't be a get out of jail free card I suppose....
And from what you say you, and presumably others, would have never have done it again from the moment you were caught and others in prison are totally institutionalised. So prison isn't serving a useful function for either group. I wonder whose needs it does meet?