Darren endures hell in prison
ARE TOM AND CHARLIE IN DANGER WHEN THEY PAY HIM A VISIT?
Darren fears for Tom and Charlie’s safety this week, after the youngsters sneak a visit to him in prison.
Although Darren has already warned his wife Nancy not to bring them in, the boys are desperate to see him. But as they disobey Nancy’s instructions and turn up anyway, have the lads put themselves in serious danger?
“Initially Darren is over the moon to see them, because he hasn’t had many visitors,” explains Ashley Taylor Dawson, who plays the jailbird. “He puts on a brave face and tells them that he’s doing okay, he’s been going to the prison gym and he’s having fun. But then this other prisoner comes over and whispers some threats, and it all becomes very real.”
Daft Darren ended up behind bars after he confessed to the police that he’d been selling drugs. In order to get a reduced sentence, he gave the coppers the names of the big hitters involved in the narcotics ring – but when news reaches his fellow inmates that he’s a grass, he realises that he’s made a very big mistake.
“Life on the inside is very different – everyone knows each other,” sighs Ashley. “Obviously Darren’s been to prison before, so there is history there for him. But this time he doesn’t have his father Jack with him – and it’s a very scary place to be.”
One silver lining for Darren is that his wife Nancy finally visits, after previously telling him that their marriage is over. So is there hope that she could change her mind once she realises how much her hubby is suffering?
“It was a massive blow for Darren when Nancy didn’t turn up at his court hearing,” Ashley reminds us. “He can understand why she was so upset, but he stands by the view that everything he did, he did for his family. So when Nancy shows up at the prison,
“The boys’ visit has made things 10 times worse”
he’s just so relieved that she’s actually there. They get to have a talk, and Darren lays everything on the line.”
During Nancy’s visit, Darren begs her to keep the boys away, as he doesn’t want them to see him behind bars. Nancy is quick to tell Tom, Charlie and Oscar that the prison is off limits – but the last thing she expects is for the older kids to go behind her back and make their own way there!
“Darren sort of likes it when they turn up, since it’s a great surprise,” admits Ashley. “But then this guy makes his threat, and that goes out of the window. Not only that, but the other prisoners know where he lives now. This has made things 10 times worse…”