Prison Officer Lindworth was employed at Highfield Prison and was manning the front desk when Fiz Brown arrived to see boyfriend John Stape in June 2009 after receiving a phone call from his personal officer stating that he was clinically depressed.
Turning up with Kirk Sutherland for support, The officer explained that as Fiz's name was not on the list and she didn't have a visiting order, he couldn't help her. An angry Fiz started shouting at the officer, stating that John was on suicide watch. Persuading Kirk to try and calm her down, Lindworth told them to wait in the reception area whilst he made inquiries but they were eventually turned away - unbeknown to them, Stape had already sent a visiting order to Rosie Webster for the same day.
When Fiz next turned up to the prison the following week, Lindworth instantly recognised her and, again with no visiting order, the officer refused to comply with her request to see John. Once more shouting at Lindworth and causing a scene, Fiz was asked politely to go home as the afternoon visiting period was over but as the other visitors started leaving the building, she chained and padlocked herself to the railings. Attracting a compliant audience as they all joined in with the chanting "Break your rules, save John's life".
The officer had no option but to go and inform the Prison Governor of the events that were unfolding at the entrance, at which point Fiz unfurled a banner which read "John Stape Marry Me." The Governor summoned Stape to his office and were both able to witness the events on CCTV. It was finally agreed that she could see John briefly and, with Lindworth offering to go and fetch a hacksaw to release Fiz from the chains, she willingly produced a key for the padlock.
List of appearances[]
2009