A convicted drug dealer has attempted to launch a comedy career using footage he secretly filmed while serving a prison sentence for dealing cocaine.
From Prison Cell to Social Media Stardom
Daniel Power, who had performed at open mic nights before his incarceration, created a series of humorous videos during his time at HMP Brixton in South London. After his release on parole two months ago, he began uploading the material to YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram, aiming to become a comedy influencer.
His content, posted under the username ‘Professional Idiot’, quickly gained traction. On Instagram alone, he amassed a following of approximately 13,000 people for videos that mocked his failed attempt at being a gangster. One particular video was reposted hundreds of times, liked by over 20,000 users, and seen by tens of thousands more.
It is believed Power deliberately waited until he was freed before publishing the clips to avoid having his contraband mobile phone confiscated by prison authorities.
Parodies and Contempt of Court
His comic repertoire included two separate parodies of Johnny Cash’s famous prison song, Folsom Prison Blues. In one adaptation, he sang: ‘I only started dealing just to get them fancy cars. Or to sit in lovely restaurants and smoke on those big cigars. I knew I had it coming, the feds [police] were on to me…’
In another video, he rapped over Daniel Bedingfield’s ‘Gotta Get Thru This’ from his cell, referencing his arrest and charge for intent to supply cocaine.
Perhaps most brazenly, Power also filmed a clip inside a crown court building before his sentencing—an act that could have resulted in additional jail time for contempt of court had the judge been aware.
Ministry of Justice Crackdown
Possession of a smartphone is illegal inside a Category C prison like HMP Brixton. Despite his caution, Power remains in breach of his licence conditions following his early release.
After being contacted by the Daily Mail about almost a dozen videos recorded inside the prison, the Ministry of Justice took action. Power’s Instagram page was taken down this week, though his Facebook and YouTube content remained accessible at the time of reporting.
A Ministry of Justice spokesperson stated: ‘It is completely unacceptable that a criminal has got a mobile phone into prison. Although these videos are old, we have taken immediate action to take them down.’ They highlighted a £40 million investment in new security measures to combat illicit items in jails.
Power’s case is not isolated. It follows recent reports of a drill rapper jailed for 24 years for multiple shootings who became a ‘prison influencer’, and a murderer who glorified his crimes in rap videos on Instagram. The use of drones to smuggle phones, drugs, and weapons into prisons has also seen a significant rise in recent years.
