Prison bullies are making Langham's life hell, says wife

The 58-year-old actor has been pelted with missiles, taunted and had his cell flooded by other prisoners while being ignored by guards, according to Christine Cartwright.

She has stayed loyal to the Bafta-winning star despite his conviction for downloading internet material including vile footage of an eight-year- old being abused by her father.

Scroll down for more...

Miss Cartwright, 54, wept with emotion as she spoke in detail for the first time about her husband's conviction, saying she was keen for their two young children to visit him.

"He's been verbally abused, taunted continuously, had missiles thrown at him and his cell flooded out by other prisoners," she said.

"He is trying to be a model prisoner. He says 'Good morning' to the prison officers, but they just tell him to shut up."

The choreographer and actress claimed Langham was guilty only of "stupidity, arrogance and ghoulish curiosity".

She insisted her husband, who won his Bafta for the BBC's The Thick Of It, was not a paedophile.

Langham, a father of five, was jailed last week for child-porn offences after a court rejected his defence that he was researching his BBC2 comedy Help.

Miss Cartwright, of Cranbrook, Kent, added that she was fighting a ban on their children Emily, 13, and Harry, ten, visiting him in jail.

She said the children still adored their father and were upset because they were unable to visit, phone or write to him.

"We were not prepared and it was very difficult for the children," said Miss Cartwright. "It can only serve to further damage them."

The shamed comedian's three older sons from his first marriage are also standing by him.

Langham was in solitary confinement when he arrived at category-B Elmley Prison on the Isle of Sheppey, Kent, but now shares a cell with two other sex offenders, said his wife.

She added that his prison identity card had been stolen and raised fears it would be put up for sale on eBay.

Miss Cartwright continued: "He is the most passionate person I know about the well-being of children - physically, mentally or emotionally.

"He believed that he might be beyond the law but did not consider the implications - but he is not a paedophile.

"No one will punish themselves more than Chris, no amount of custody will punish him more than he will punish himself."

Her husband's court case had left the family in dire financial straits as they have legal fees running into tens of thousands of pounds. But selling their 14thcentury home was not an option she wanted to consider.

"I don't know where we go from here," she said. "Chris is very creative - he will make something of a dreadful situation. But I don't believe this is a life sentence. I believe in forgiveness.

"He is paying the price and he will continue to pay the price. But he has not lost his good character. We will always have it because no one can destroy his heart."

Miss Cartwright was notable by her absence from her husband's trial at Maidstone Crown Court.

But she insisted she had no thoughts of divorce and simply wanted to save their children from further embarrassment.

She added that friends had "stuck by" the family and hoped Langham would be freed early to be home by the New Year.

After he was jailed, police said the images he viewed were among the most shocking they had seen.

The abused eight-year-old girl's father has since been prosecuted.

Langham was also cleared of abusing a 14-year-old fan.

He will be on the Sex Offenders' Register for ten years but no restrictions were placed on his return to the family home when he leaves jail.