Disgraced MP Eric Illsley, who was jailed earlier this month for defrauding his parliamentary expenses, is coping in prison according to his wife.
Dawn Illsley told the media that, as her husband was a carpenter before entering politics, it was natural that he would gravitate to the handcraft room in HMP Wandsworth and spend a lot of time 'coping', or joining 2 wooden joints together.
During his short time behind bars, Illsley has already made 2 chairs and a 4 drawer cabinet that he hopes to be able to take home at the end of his 2 year sentence.
"David has found himself again and is getting back to the basics. He realises that money isn't everything and he wants to repay society for his sins. I think he could save the prison thousands of pounds by providing his fellow inmates and prison officers with good quality furniture.
He's already a big hit with some of the chaps inside.
In fact, his latest project is a pair of 20 feet high step ladders for Big Jake in E Block".
