Woman's 'fantastic wedding day' next to some of Britain's most awful criminals
03.04.2022 - 12:41
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
Most people would struggle to associate a prison with good memories, especially one as notorious as HMP Wakefield.
The site, now horrifyingly known as Monster Mansion, houses some of the most dangerous criminals in the country, with serial killer Harold Shipman, who is believed to have murdered up to 250 people, dying inside the jail in 2004. Paedophile ex-Lostprophets singer Ian Watkins, Britain's most dangerous prisoner - known sometimes as Hannibal the Cannibal - Robert Maudsley, and the UK's most sadistic rapist Reynhard Sinaga are all currently locked up inside the disturbing site.
However, for 47-year-old Debbie O'Neill, the prison brings back memories of one of the happiest days of her life, after she held her wedding reception in the prison officer's club on Love Lane 22-year-ago, directly opposite the jail's intimidating walls. "It was literally down the side of the prison," she told YorkshireLive.
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"As you look at the doors, it was literally there. It was practically in the grounds of the prison, it was that close." The club has since been demolished, but on April 29, 2000, Debbie got married to her then-husband Craig Pottage at St Peter and St Paul's Catholic Church, before inviting all their friends and family back to the prison officer's club for their wedding reception.
"I had a friend who worked in the club and she booked it for our wedding reception," said Debbie. "I knew it was outside the walls of the prison, but it was a lovely little club and it wasn't that bad really. There were security cameras everywhere, but we got used to that. The staff were great, there were cheap drinks and it was a brilliant place to let