EastEnder's jail sex romps with armed robber

EXCLUSIVE: New star's shock secret...

 
THE real-life bad-boy husband of new EastEnder Gerry Cowper has confessed how they had TEN YEARS of secret sex romps behind bars while he was doing time for armed robbery.

And between visits Gerry, who plays foul-mouthed mum Rosie Miller, sent her fella sexy photos and kinky letters detailing what they'd get up to next time.

Speaking exclusively about their life together, Mark Foley, 46, revealed: "We managed sex at least 15 times while I was inside. Every time was amazing.

"There are ways and means of doing it in the nick.

"I was able to pull a few strings, call in a few favours and get some time alone with Gerry behind the warders' backs. It was exciting and we grabbed any chance we could.

Roguish

"Gerry wasn't totally comfortable about it but she did it for me. We were in love and fancied each other like mad.

"Everywhere I was transferred —and that was 78 times—she followed me around."

Gerry, who stormed into Albert Square in a battered ice-cream van just weeks ago with layabout screen hubby Keith and Jack The Lad son Mickey, has now split up with Mark.

But with a roguish grin, the old lag remembered the moving moment when he first fell for the sexy actress—during his trial at the Old Bailey.

"She was in the public gallery," said Mark. "I looked up from the dock, saw the whites of her knickers...and from that moment on I was hooked."

The couple had already been introduced by Gerry's twin sister Jacqueline, who was dating one of his underworld mates.

"Gerry was a beautiful-looking girl," said Mark. "She'd been in Only Fools And Horses but I wasn't star struck. I just fancied her like mad. She was smitten with me too, undeterred by the fact I was going to jail."

Mark had served four years for fraud before he and Gerry became an item. Then, in 1987 he was sentenced to 14 years for holding up a Lloyds bank and two security vans in one day.

He and Gerry became prison penpals. And, as the passion grew, she started visiting. "The first time we made love inside was Parkhurst on the Isle of Wight," Mark recalled.

"I'd had some money nicked and played on that to wangle some time alone with Gerry. For two visits I was allowed to see her in a private room."

Mark says their sex life got even better when he was trans-ferred to Gartree Prison in Leic-estershire. "I was classified as a high-risk prisoner so I had to have my visits in this special Portakabin," he said.

"The TV was outside so, as it was 1995 and the Rugby World Cup was on, the guards turned a blind eye to me and watched the box. It was there I had the most incredible two-hour visit ever. It was the best thing in the world, the highlight of my years inside.

"Gerry is a sexy lady and we couldn't have been happier. When we couldn't make love she'd send amazing pictures of herself and letters saying what she wanted me to do to her.

"We even made up a code so the screws didn't know what we were talking about. Making love in the nick isn't easy and I had to be clever about how I got some privacy for Gerry and me."

But somehow the couple managed to keep the spark alive for the 10 years he was inside. Once Mark was freed, they married within a year and had daughter Allec, now six.

"Getting out of the nick was amazing," he said. "There were 10 years to make up for and, let's just say, we did! Gerry wasn't ashamed of me. She didn't approve of the things I did but she thought I was a lovable rogue.

"She was always upfront about me and my past and told her friends and colleagues. Even when I got done for road rage, she was loyal. It was the same story when it came to my drug problem. I was addicted to cocaine after I left jail.

"I think she always thought I'd sort myself out one day. She was never involved in my dealings but she picked up the pieces."

However, Mark claims that all changed when Gerry landed her EastEnders role. "Suddenly now I'm an embarrassment," he said.

Screech

"She's gone cold and ruthless ever since she joined the soap. It's her big chance at fame and it's totally taken hold of her.

"I blame our break-up on the show. It's turned her into an unpredictable nightmare. After she began filming in July she'd have wild mood swings and take out her anger on me. She'd screech so loudly the neighbours would call the police.

"The tiniest thing would set her off. She'd come home from the studio and if her tea wasn't on the table she'd shout, ‘Where the f*** is my dinner?'"

Mark reckoned arguments erupted between them because Gerry feared his past would come out. Eventually she threw him out of their home in Chessington, Surrey, and they are now heading for divorce.

"Gerry's left me with nothing," he said. "My stuff's in bin bags, I'm sleeping in the car and she wants me gone so she can be a big star. We're finished."