All posts by Gordon

2018-45-heart Heart Hello friend’ (see blog 31) So I wrote to NHS England and raised my concern that the sudden development of (really bad sometimes)angina was not taken seriously, and further investigations was required; I also said: “Given my medical history and current heart problems , are you just going to wait until I have
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2018-44-arts project Arts Project Hello friend Wow! I’ve not written a blog in over a month; lots going on… Due to the most unpleasantness (see blogs 32 & 37), I submitted a complaint to the No. 1 Governor; I request (again) a copy of my score and a CD of the show recordings. His reply:
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2018-43-arts project Arts Project Hello friend, I got another piece published in (the March edition of) Inside Time (see blog 2018-5); it’s called ‘Producing a Rock Opera in Prison’. Unfortunately, they’ve edited out all the facts and figures about how many prisoners were involved and what they contributed; and, some of the positive comments that
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2018-42-dying in prison Dying in Prison Hello friend, Not exactly a light subject but here goes… One of my biggest fears is dying in prison. You do not want to get ill in here as you will [ironically, I typed up to this point of the blog and had to go down to healthcare because
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2018-41-cell search Cell Search Hello friend, As a Category A prisoner, I get my cell searched every month. Over the past (nearly) 15 years, this equates to almost 200 cell searches: plus, the extra targeted and lockdown searches, which occasionally happen. I’m someone who just gets on with it so (unsurprisingly) I have never had
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Photocopying Hello friend, The prison have a legal obligation to photocopy legal documents for a prisoner. It’s quite a convoluted system involving application and bags; thankfully, no-one follows the correct procedure, it would take too long. Unfortunately, we have to pay 10 pence per copy. This is what would happen if I only wanted 1
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Safety Hello friend, I wanted to call this blog ‘baguette’ but as it’s linked to safety… On a friday lunchtime we get baguettes and one of a few different fillings. Today, there was a notice saying that ‘for security reasons’ they had been removed; this must be a joke, right? I asked the officer why
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Appeal Hello friend, Lancaster University Miscarriage of Justice Clinic have done some really fantastic work on my appeal. They’ve obtained several academic reports which could lead to the final piece of the jigsaw. I’m hoping to meet with them soon. Be happy, be safe. Graham Coutts, 8th March 2018

2018-37-arts project Arts Project Hello friend, Just when I thought it was safe to go back in the water…I found out that, over last weekend, the manager had been bad-mouthing me to a prisoner who was involved in the project. He said that I was to blame for the ‘them and us’. Strange… that didn’t
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2018-36-arts & crafts Arts & Crafts Hello friend It is funny (and a little sad) how the simplest of things can make you happy in here. I made a box. Yes, a box made me happy. I made it to hold my language cards. I used the card backing from an A4 pad of paper
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