This is the prison where former Wales striker Dean Saunders will be locked up for the next five weeks.

Saunders, 55, has been jailed after he admitted failing to provide a roadside breath test.

He also admitted failing to comply with a further breath test once he had been arrested and taken to a police station in Blacon, Chester, after being pulled over by police in the early hours of Friday, May 10 who spotted him driving in the city centre.

The former striker, who scored 22 goals for Wales in an international career spanning 13 years, remains the fifth highest goalscorer in the history of the Wales men’s team.

He was sentenced to 10 weeks behind bars on Wednesday morning at Chester Magistrates’ Court by District Judge Nicholas Sanders, who called the former Liverpool and Aston Villa striker “arrogant”.

He is expected to serve half of that sentence and it is understood he will do so at HMP Altcourse in Liverpool.

What do we know about the prison?

Outside HMP Altcourse
Inside HMP Altcourse

HMP Altcourse is a Category B prison which opened its doors in December 1997.

It houses sentenced adults and young offenders, as well as people who are on remand, and can accommodate more than 1,300 people at any one time.

The prison has seven different wings, including an induction wing and a wing for ‘vulnerable prisoners’ such as former police officers, prison officers and sex offenders.

A typical cell inside the jail
Prisoners are allowed to look after birds of prey while inside

Once known as the UK’s most violent prison, it was praised following an inspection in 2017 which said that incidents of violence, drug taking and self-harm were all down in comparison with previous years.

This was despite the fact that there had been more than 150 assaults in the six months prior to the inspection.

An HM Inspectorate of Prisons report revealed that most of the cells at Altcourse have TVs, kettles and phones, and that prisoners are allowed to wear their own clothes.

What can Saunders expect inside?

Liverpool and Everton badges both adorn this room inside the prison
The prison has its own play area for children when they come to visit

Ex-football star Saunders will be helped to settle by the fact that Altcourse has a large range of sporting facilities.

G4S, who run the prison, say their “aim is to make a major contribution to the regimes of the prison by providing professional, purposeful and constructive physical education, which will prepare prisoners for reintegration into the community and contribute towards developing the employability of prisoners upon release”.

The prison’s fitness centre boasts treadmills, rowing machines, exercise bikes, cross trainers and a weights room.

A number of workshops are available to prisoners
Including metal work

In the sports hall, meanwhile, prisoners are encouraged to take part in an array of sports including football, volleyball, cricket and badminton.

Of particular interest to Saunders might be the prison’s very own football academy, which includes a coaching course and lessons in numeracy, nutrition, healthy living and cookery.

Altcourse also offers prisoners a range of other activities like reading clubs and workshops where they can build items including office furniture and skips.

What does the man in charge of HMP Altcourse say about the prison?

Saunders in action for Liverpool in the 1992 FA Cup Final at Wembley

“Our biggest role is to be giving prisoners hope that they can turn their lives around and that we can give them the skills to get them back into the community,” prison director Steve Williams told the Liverpool Echo last year.

“They are never going back on a solid, level footing with Joe Public because they have got a criminal record.

“But we can give them the best chance.

“It’s about them having the hope and confidence to take their opportunities, that it is a worthwhile venture for them but the ball is still in their court. They have to break away from whatever they are doing and start on that fresh path.”

The former Liverpool, Derby and Nottingham Forest forward outside Chester Magistrates' Court on Wednesday morning

Saunders currently works as a football pundit on both TV and radio, having previously managed five football clubs including Wrexham, Doncaster and Wolves.

As well as being jailed for ten weeks on Wednesday morning, he was also banned from driving for 30 months and ordered to pay costs of £620.

Speaking outside the court, Saunders'' lawyer said he would be appealing against the sentence.