Vanessa Frake

Former Head of Security and Operations at Wormwood Scrubs

Formerly Head of Security and Operations at Wormwood Scrubs, Vanessa started her career at HMP Holloway as an officer in 1986 before transferring to WMP Wormwood Scrubs in 2002. In 2012, she was awarded a MBE for her work with the prison service before retiring early in 2013. From dealing with celebrity and notorious criminals, busting drug rings, to recruiting informers and being subject to violent attacks in a career spanning 27 years, her hard-hitting, but often humorous memoir, reveals all about life behind bars with honesty and in unflinching detail. Vanessa is a key contributor in ‘Donal MacIntyre's Released to Kill’, the original true crime series from CBS Reality. Now, in a complete career change, Vanessa bakes cakes and volunteers at Wood Green animal sanctuary.