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Highfield Prison exterior 2009

Highfield Prison exterior in 2009 (in reality the exterior of the Castle Armoury Drill Hall on Castle Street in Bury)

Highfield Prison houses male offenders, either on remand or serving full custodial sentences and is located in Weatherfield on Bentham Parkway. It housed quite a few male residents from Coronation Street alone.

Known inmates[]

John Stape was held at the prison between 2008 and 2009 for kidnapping Rosie Webster. In January 2009 John was found guilty of the offence and ordered to serve a two year sentence, although would be eligible for parole after twelve months. John and his fiancée Fiz Brown were married in the prison's chapel on 1st October 2009, and he was subsequently released the following month.

Gary Windass served a two month sentence from June to August 2009 after he admitted burgling 5 Grasmere Drive - the residence of Audrey Roberts. Unaware who the property belonged to, David Platt set Gary up to commit the offence but he was foiled when Ted Page caught him in the house and phoned the police. Upon his release Gary threatened to have David beaten up for framing him. In January 2021, Gary was remanded in custody having been formally charged for the previous month's assault on Adam Barlow inside the Viaduct Bistro (in a bid to protect the real culprit, his sister Faye). The latter eventually confessed to the assault, although Gary remained incarcerated until the trial was heard at Weatherfield Crown Court in April. He was found guilty of perverting the course of justice and the judge handed down an eight-month sentence, but he was free to leave the courtroom due to the amount of time he'd already served on remand.

Tony Gordon was held at the prison between 2009 and 2010 after being arrested and charged for the murder of Liam Connor. In May of that year, he broke out of the prison with the assistance of former cellmate Robbie Sloane in order to get revenge on estranged wife Carla Connor.

Jim McDonald was incarcerated after a failed attempt to rob a branch of the Lancashire & Fyle Building Society in April 2011. He was desperately trying to obtain a sum of £120,000 to enable his former wife Liz to purchase the Rovers Return Inn. After being found guilty, Jim was ordered to serve a minimum sentence of seven years. Some time after his imprisonment, he began selling alcohol to the inmates under the alias of "The Landlord". He was released in 2018.

Michael Rodwell served a two-month custodial sentence here on a breaking and entering charge, under the pretence of inspecting a gas leak while burgling 8 Coronation Street. Although homeowner Gail McIntyre was left traumatised by the experience, she agreed to meet with Michael as part of a restorative justice programme. Once accommodation and employment was set up for Michael, he was released in June 2014.

When Peter Barlow was accused of murdering Tina McIntyre in July 2014, he was remanded at the prison and shared a cell with Eugene Clelland (who was also on remand, although his alleged offence was never disclosed). Being an alcoholic Peter craved booze, and came into contact with Jim through his illicit activities. Peter was found guilty of murdering Tina in October that year and sentenced to life imprisonment with an order to serve a minimum of fifteen years, however he was acquitted when Rob Donovan was exposed as the true assailant.

Rob was sentenced in December 2014 and ordered to serve twenty-five years for the murder of Tina McIntyre. Twelve months later, he sent out a visiting order to his ex-fiancée Tracy Barlow and revealed to his cellmate Ian Rigby that he had been unable to move on since Tracy and his sister Carla Connor were both to blame for him being sent down. Rob broke out of the prison in April 2017 and was hidden away by Tracy, as he feared his life when agreeing to testify against a drug operation occurring in the prison. He was transferred to another prison after giving himself up to the authorities.

Darryl Parkins, the father of Craig Tinker, was some time into serving his sentence there in 2016.

Robert Preston was sent there in September 2017 after he attacked Rich Collis and was released two months later.

David Platt was sent here in May 2018 for failing to attend court where he shared a cell with Paul Foreman. He returned to the institution in July 2019 when he was given a four-month custodial sentence for helping Nick Tilsley to defraud Audrey Roberts. During this stint, he shared a cell with Abe Crowley and was released in November 2019, on the morning of his wedding to Shona Ramsey.

Neil Clifton was serving time at the institution, and in June 2018 was visited by his daughter Kayla.

Lewis Archer was sent here after his arrest for fraud in June 2018.

Clayton Hibbs was moved there in January 2019 from Larchfield Young Offenders Institute after he turned eighteen. He was later transferred to HMP Stoneway.

Nick Tilsley was sent here on remand in July 2019 for breaking his bail conditions. During this time, he shared a cell with Ash, who attacked both Nick and David.

Josh Tucker was sent here in October 2019 on a charge of rape. A few days after his arrival, he was stabbed by Abe Crowley and Tez Collier. Josh pinned his attack on David Platt, but subsequently asked to change his statement having been threatened by Paul Foreman, who posed as a uniformed cleaner to gain access to Josh's room in Weatherfield General.

Johnny Connor was also sent here in January 2021 to serve an eight-month custodial sentence on a historic aggravated burglary charge. His accomplice Scott Emberton conducted a raid on Pickstock Warehouse, Manchester on 26th February 1980, and for his part, Johnny injured security guard Grant Newsome when speeding away from the scene. He was released in May that year, having served approximately half of his sentence.

Drugs lord Harvey Gaskell was arrested in April 2021 after Leanne Battersby turned police informant when her stepson Simon Barlow became heavily implicated in his gang's activities, and was at the institution serving time on remand before his trial, at which he was found guilty. Nick Tilsley, Leanne and Simon were forced to go into hiding at an apartment in Warrington and cut off contact from their family and friends, with Harvey's associates throughout Weatherfield trying to track them down - including his main source on the outside, his aunt Sharon Bentley. Harvey was transferred to HMP Barlinnie in December 2022, having been severely beaten by another inmate. The attack was orchestrated by Harvey's younger half-brother Damon Hay, in retaliation for previous mistreatment of Jacob; Damon's son. Harvey was returned to Highfield sometime prior to January 2024.

Ray Crosby was held on remand in the prison in February 2021 after being arrested for the false imprisonment and attempted murder of Kevin and Debbie Webster. He was also later charged with the sexual assault of Faye Windass but pleaded not guilty.

Stu Carpenter was sent here in August 2022 having been arrested for breach of the peace. Stu had refused to leave 6 Coronation Street when requested to do so several times by Yasmeen Metcalfe and continued to unnerve her while pleading his innocence of the murder of Charlie Walter. Yasmeen secretively phoned grandson Zeedan Nazir who overheard the confrontation and rushed to the property with Craig Tinker in tow. He was eventually released without charge a fortnight later.

Right-wing extremist Griff Reynolds and accomplice Reece Bolton were arrested in January 2023 on a charge of conspiracy to commit murder after planting a bomb in the Speed Daal van parked up in Victoria Street. Serving a potential life sentence, they are both currently detained in Highfield.

See also[]

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