VERONA, a pentecostal Christian from Norway, started speaking with prison pen pals after the breakdown of her last relationship. She found solace in talking about her emotions to complete strangers. In February this year she came across Justin’s profile on one of the sites and was drawn to his positivity, and how reflective he came across regarding his journey and his hopes for a new life. He is currently serving a 13-year sentence for armed robbery and has 2 and a half years left on his sentence. The pair connected quickly and were soon writing letters every day to each other. They also talk on the phone, or on video calls every day; Verona likes him calling as she falls asleep, as calls regularly last 15 minutes and Justin will call up to 20 times a day. He earns money in prison by teaching yoga and baking cheesecakes which he sells to other prisoners - he has also done a tonne of rehabilitation programmes. Verona recently made her first trip out to visit Justin where he proposed to her; the pair only had two visits together with each lasting 8 hours. Despite her friends and family doubting the relationship, Verona claims that Justin is her soulmate and can't wait to prove all the doubters wrong.
