[Solemn music plays, noises of nature in background] Narrator: Broadmoor, a word that makes people shiver. Most think that Broadmoor is a prison, in fact it's a high secure psychiatric hospital, and home to some of the countries most dangerous and violent offenders. [Gate unlocking, mechanical noises] After five years of negotiation, and for the very first time, the hospital has allowed cameras in to meet the men who live behind these walls. [unintelligible yelling, sound of something slamming] [Running foot steps keys jangling] [more yelling and sounds of a struggle] [door slams] [foot steps echo in the hallway] Inmate: Broadmoores got this, this history about people being all these monsters here basically. But you can be violent, and it don't mean you're a bad person. 'Cause sometimes you don't....you're not intendin' it. Over radio: "Hello Brovo one, two, and go. Over radio: "One going to the [ unintelligible] all radio. Alpha four. Over." The easiest reaction in the world is to see somebody that has committed something atrocious, label them as evil, want to lock the door and throw away the key. Daniel: "I've probably actually never said the words of what I've I actually done. I've never admitted it. Still just a blur in my head". [knocking on door] Inmate 2: "I've got born into this Italian family. Very, very violent. In some cases it would have been better to have killed me than to have allowed me to have this horrible life that I've had. Narrator: With unprecedented access, and filmed over a year, this series reveals the secrets of life inside Brittians most notorious institution. [Bell rings] [Solemn music] Narrator: Broadmoor is perched above the Berkshire village of Crowthorne. Just 40 miles from the center of London. When people think of Broadmoore they think of Ronny Kray, Peter Sutcliffe, Robert Napper, and Kenneth Erskine. Some of the most dangerous killers the country has ever known. "The public perceive this place as 'oh, that's where the Yorkshire Rippers locked up, that's Rachel Nickell's killers locked up'. Broadmoor is an institution of lots of people. We're not all rapist pedophiles, or murderers. There is people in here for self-harming in prison, there's people in here for buggary and they've gotten in a prison, and there's people in here for very very evil things. and it brushes with all the same brush what station [unintelligible]". [loud string crescendo] Narrator: First built as a victorian lunatic asylum for the criminally insane, today Broadmoor is an NHS hospital. Over its 150 year history, its been a secretive and mysterious institution. Staff are under strict instructions not to discuss patients outside the hospital walls. [clicking as items are placed on conveyer and beeping of machinery] Many won't even admit to working here. Staff Member: " Close, close family members know that, obviously, where we work. But if we're in a normal mainstream than you would, you would probably say you work in the hospital or something. Don't really talk about the place." Staff Member #2: " Listen, if you said that you worked here. Ah, boy. You'd just spend the whole of a day, or the afternoon, with a barrage of questions about the place. So, it's just easy to say you work for the NHS". Narrator: They're told not to share personal information with the patients either, and to leave their private lives along with their possessions. At the front door. Broadmoor's most notorious patients, like Peter Sutcliffe and Kenneth Erskine, have chosen not to participate. But many of the men here have been front page news and are vilified by society. This is the first time they've been allowed to tell their stories. Alex: I've everything from taking hostages, more hostage taking, stabbings, ya' know. Uhhhh... more assaults, violent assaults, fire setting off. I set a whole stammers a fire in a hospital. A psychiatric hospital, the first one I ever went to. Umm.. yeah. Just mainly violence and whatnot. My history is mainly violence". Narrator: "Broadmoors 200 patients are all men suffering from mental disorders. They're classified as vulnerable adults and only those who have Capacity to Give Consent have been allowed to talk to us. Their faces have been blurred to protect their identities [Door closing] Female voice: "What are you like when you're not on medication?" Alex: "Ummm...I'm quite a nasty person. I'm quite violent, I'm very violent in most circumstances. Very antisocial. I don't like spending time with people. I'm paranoid. I'm, uh, very paranoid. [stammers] Every person around, I'm thinking 'what's their intention?' I come to that, sometimes I come very close to attacking people because I'm thinking that they're going to do something to me and I don't want to get hurt first. Uh, um..I remember one time when I'm off medication, spent 11 months locked in a cell. Segregated, due to the fact that I was too dangerous to come out". Narrator: 24 year old Alex arrived at Broadmoor 7 months ago. He was serving a life sentence in a dedicated prison unit for highly dangerous prisoners. They could no longer manage him. Alex: "When I was younger, we would chase a seagull... trails off Narrator: Now in a remissions ward he's been diagnosed with mental illness and personality disorder and put on medication. One of his symptoms is Auditory Hallucinations. He hears voices. Alex: "Oh, I was doing a fruit salad the other day for an assessment. That's when they do this assessment from personal motor, motor skills. It's like for learning disability. And....Umm... I was cutting a mango and I have never, I've never used a sharp knife. In the seven years I've been away I've not used a sharp knife and I was shaking. Literally. I nearly cut my fingers off cause' the voices were telling me to attack the people in the room, with the knife. And, like, they were goading me into it, and I thought ' I can't do that. I can't do that. and so I managed to finish fruit, the fruit salad, and I thought " wow like, what achievement'. Cause' mostly stammers a year ago, two years ago, my emotions would have done it. Ya know?" [unintelligible speaking] Man in Sweater: "No. We'll clean it afterwards. We are Going to give you bedding for now, okay"? Narrator: This is Cranfield, the intensive care ward. Home to the hospitals most acute mentally ill patients. [door shutting, keys jangling, people speaking unintelligibly] Female voice: "Hi, can we come in and talk to you, yeah?" Man in Sweater: "Sit on the bed for us" Narrator:Any contact with them has to be carefully planned and executed. This is a six person unlock. The door to this patients room can only be opened with six staff present. Hospital Staff: "There is always the risk of violence towards others if [can't understand] with chronic mental illness and they will be very distant throughout the day, but you have to learn to work with that. [person sobbing] My focus in working with this guys is after telling me that they are here not because of the illness, they are here because of violence. And they only progress from here if there's a reduction in that violence. So that message, you know. It might take time, but gradually over a period of time, is that goal through". [keys jangling, unintelligible talking in background] Narrator: On this ward, even the most routine tasks, run a risk of violence and involve a protocol. This patient has asked for a drink. Man in White: "Just keep on the bed trails off [unintelligible] Shukran. Shukran Shukran means thank you, right? You know, you taught me all this. laughs [unintelligible speaking]" Inmate: [unintelligible] "give me some more?' Man in White: [unintelligible response] "Thank you!" Female voice: "Thank you guys." Narrator: Life in Broadmoor can be a game of snakes and ladders. With patients moving between the hospitals 15 wards according to their mental state. [door closing] Patients who have responded to treatment can progress to one of the hospitals Assertive Rehab Wards, where they're given greater freedom. Daniel is one of 12 patients on this ward. Daniel: "I've been here five years. Luckily I never went to a high dependency ward, I came straight to rehab. And, to be honest, its been... I wouldn't use the word wonderful... Cause' eh... it's not wonderful. But, I've been grateful basically to come here. In my spare time I try and engage in artwork mostly. This was the, uh... my first real attempt at an actual portrait. All done completely in graphite, and then I moved on to using charcoal along with, uh.. graphite. And the charcoal allows you to, to have so much more...uhhh...depth in the tone or quality. And then, yeah....I did a self-portrait. The whole, The whole picture was a statement about when I got locked up, when I was 14 and I'm now 24. This is me at 24, but uh, that me..... back then...sort of thing...." Narrator: Mental Disorder is no respecter of class or education. Daniel was a 14 year old boy at a mainstream school, and no one anticipated the violence of his attack....on his own family. All of the men in Broadmoor present a grave and immediate risk to the public. And many have committed violent crimes. From arson, to torture, rape and murder. Unlike a prison sentence, they have no release date. Daniel: "I've been a bit of a conundrum for the psychologists. And I've have, I've had about nine different diagnoses from thirty different doctors. I've had seminars about me done, I've had people wanting to write books about me, just because of the unusuallity of my offense, and my age, and what happened... I mean, my family are my saving grace to be honest here. They, they, they're hugely...hugely supportive. And what's even more amazing is that my offense was actually oriented against my family. So I think...so the fact....and, and, what a lot of people see is that, when a family member has committed an offense against a family member they're often...dis-disowned. So it think it's...it's too much for the family. But, they-they, have told me that they swore they'd stay by me when they, when I was christened, and they have. So I think, ya know... They've always agreed I've has Aspergers. One of the problems I have is I'm not very good at understanding emotions. Or...if I have a...if I'm feeling something I don't always understand what it is that I'm feeling. But if I can draw it, I can get out these angry feelings, or these frustrations of being locked up, or guilt, or remorse. All these, all these negative feelings I can channel through this imaginative artworks". [background talking, lunch bags rustle] Daniel: I've probably never actually said the words of what I actually done. I've never admitted it. Because I still, I still get flashbacks. It's mainly guilt. I still-I still struggle to bring it to mind It's still just a blur in my head. I've done such a terrible thing. Thats one of the things that I've got to come to terms with eventually is that I've done this, it's happened, and it WILL be with me forever". Narrator: We're not allowed to reveal the details of Daniel's offense. Man in Suit: "okay" Daniel: "Umm, the other thing I was wondering about was, I saw problems of fine motor control and spacial awareness, and like bumping into things, and dropping things a lot". Man in Suit: "Oh so you're saying one of the most common side effect. In fact, the opposite....[trails off]" Narrator: Daniel is taking medication and undergoing psychological therapy. These, together with everyday interaction with staff are the cornerstone of the treatment here. Man in Suit: "Have you noticed any benefit?" Daniel: " I don't really know what it is I'm looking for." Man in Suit: " I have noticed a difference in you, not within the last week, but certainly over the last three months. I think that you are much more able to spend a good time with people in one on one situations." Narrator: Broadmoor can feel like a ghost town. Patients can only move at certain times and in certain configurations. Their cameras record where each patient is at any given moment. [Radio Chatter] The control room ensures that incompatible patients, do not collide. [Radio Chatter] Patients who are well enough leave their wards to go to work, study, and even once a week go shopping. It's strangely like a village. [loud indistinct talking] Shopkeeper "Whats going on? You sure it's okay?" [indistinct response] Shopkeeper: "Good." Narrator: The freedom to shop is a mixed blessing. One of the side effects of medication is increased appetite and and many patients are severely overweight. [indistinct talking] However normal it feels, the reminder of the threat of violence is ever-present. Searches looking for potential weapons are carried out before any patient movement. Hospital Staff: This is stuff that we've retrieved from patients. I think this is just, what used to be a C.D. and its been broken up into shards. It can be used as a blade, it can be used for self harming. In fact, we don't use the C.D.s here anymore. We've got spoons and forks that have been sharpened off on the edge. So a normal teaspoon-plastic spoon-which is innocent to you and I, has been fashioned off and can be used as a potential weapon to stab. It's an example of how vigilant we have to be with everyday items". Alex: "I've done a lot of self harming, as you can see. I've cut my own throat a couple of times. I've cut my throat like four times I think. Umm funny enough, I think It was like five weeks before I come here, I hung myself and they had to do CPR on me in the cell. I was sexually abused when I was a child and that had an affect on my behavior. And maybe we'll see that. I couldn't sleep at night, and the rest of it...I was, you know... Basically everything that you go through when you've had a traumatic situation like I did. I think as well as being here, I said to my mum 'this feels like the best I've ever been in ten years." Man in Glasses: Patients that come here, they will have perpetrated, often, horrendous crimes. But, they are also victims. It is very easy to see somebody as either the perpetrator or the victim. It is much more difficult to understand that somebody might be both. [squirrel chatters] [loud drumming and incoherent yelling] Narrator: Patients from different wards meet in certain events. Dave Neita: "hi, first of all, thank you for giving up your time. I know you could be doing different things, I know you have different [trails off]" Narrator: Todays a diversity workshop and Poet and Lawyer Dave Neita is encouraging them to celebrate their different cultures. [Dave Neita speaking unintelligibly] But most of them are celebrating lunch. With no alcohol or tobacco allowed, food is the only thing they have free reign over. [drums in background] Alex: "My mums Italian and my dads in Africa. I would say that being multicultural It helps. It's good. It's nice to be different. Because different is what we need. We don't want everyone the same. And that's it." Declan: "How'd I end up in here? Umm they said they had a spare bed so I thought 'I've been in children's homes, I've been in secure units, I've been in prison. The only place I haven't been is Broadmoor. So I thought I'd come along. [Declan laughing] [drumming] Narrator: Now 26, Declan was put into care at the age of nine. Declan: "I remember the day that my mum took me to this office. I sat there in a chair, and the next minute she just left. She went 'your not coming with me'. A social worker come out and she went 'alright, you ought to come with me'. I went to children's homes, foster homes. I kept running away. Cause' I got abused When I was in the children home. By the staff. Sexually and physical. And umm I think it was like, no one would actually listen to me. I ran away to London, and I was living on the streets. I mean I was living out in- and yeah....not the nicest spot. Out in the streets you have to do that sometimes. you know what I mean?" Inmate in Red: "Yeah guys, this is called It goes like this: When you see a tramp out on the street. Don't look down your nose so far that you see your own feet. When you see people homeless don't reach for a broom. Consider if you have the means to give them a room. Declan: "Am I a victim? I mean my current defendant...umm...basically stabbed 'em up. The judge classed it under as torture". Inmate in Blue: "I'm black, I'm British, and I'm proud of it [fades into clapping and drums]." Female Voice: "You say you've got a child?" Declan: "Mm-hm. Got a little boy, he's seven. And he lives with his mum. Don't really see him, but I would- I wouldn't expect children to come in a place like this." Female Voice: "And are you still on good terms with his mum?" Declan: "Ummm...laughs not really. No. I started having a bit of a relationship with [name beeped out]. Sooo, yeah..that was the first time I found out that I was sort of that way. I've always-for some reason-I've always wanted to be a woman. I think that's the way I but in this place you can't do that, the way I love it. Declan in front of room: "I just wanted to say I'm gay, and I'm proud of it. Thank you." Declan: "I want to be a Drag Queen that's what I've done for a while." Female Voice: "What's she called?" Declan: "Crystal." Female Voice: "And what's she look like?" Declan: "Blonde, and just fabulous laughs" [Intense music] Narrator: Ive come to Chepstow, a medium-dependancy ward, where Lenny wants to show us his artwork. Female Voice: "You do it, your artwork?" Lenny: "Yeah. I do work with spare pens, and it's mostly based on pens and basically your using cuts and shapes and bottle tops to draw around. Female Voice: "How long have you been here?" Lenny: "7 years this time.: Female voice: "Is it not your first time?" Lenny: "Second Time. what do you think of that one? Thats the corridors in border shop down there." Female Voice: "So why are you considered a risk?" Lenny: "Because...I think its because of my particular offense was against a consulting psychiatrist. Because they called in a section 12 approved psychiatrist. And they're very powerful, not like- not like when you go to an ordinary doctor. They-they work from home office." Narrator: He's not happy with life in Broadmoor, and tells us he's bringing a High Court case against the hospital. Lenny: "It costs how much? What was the last figure they said it cost to keep us here every year? 320,000 pounds a year or something? Surely its-its wrong to charge a fortune for people like us. When we're nowhere near about the centers of the community." Narrator: I costs 300,000 pounds a year to keep a patient in Broadmoor. Almost five times the cost of keep someone in prison. Before Lenny came to Broadmoor, he was in outpatient at a psychiatric hospital where he threatened his psychiatrist with a machete. Female Voice: "Do you think you shouldn't be here, or?" Lenny: "Do you think I sound like a mad blathering idiot? Cause' I think-No I don't think I should be here. I think I should be sharing this- my life- with people. I want to be sharing my life with people. I want to be...yeah...I can't believe