Maggots in food, sleep deprivation and no haircuts: Ghislaine Maxwell's life behind bars

The former partner of Jeffrey Epstein has complained about her prison cell, describing it as hell. Photo / Supplied

The former partner of Jeffrey Epstein has complained about her prison cell, describing it as hell ahead of her attempt to prove her innocence.

Ghislaine Maxwell has spoken for the first time about the living hell she is enduring while behind bars, with maggots in her food and subjected to sleep deprivation techniques.

The former girlfriend and friend of Jeffrey Epstein now spend her days in a 3m by 3.6m prison cell inside New York's Metropolitan Detention Centre. She was arrested 11 months after Epstein allegedly killed himself in jail after being charged with child sex offences.

Maxwell told The Daily Mail that her 16-month-long stint behind bars has been hell.

Ghislaine Maxwell attends the VIP Evening of Conversation for Women's Brain Health Initiative in New York City in 2016. Photo / Getty Images

"I have not had a nutritious meal in all that time. I haven't slept without lights on – fluorescent lights that have damaged my eyes – or been allowed to sleep without constant interruptions," she said.

"I am weak, I am frail. I have no stamina. I am tired. I don't even have shoes which fit properly. They feed me rotten food. One apple had maggots in it. I have not been allowed to exercise."

The former socialite had her $29.6 million bail application refused for the fourth time last week. She believes negative media coverage will make it impossible to have a fair trial when she returns to court.

Prince Andrew and Virginia Roberts at Ghislaine Maxwell's townhouse in London. Photo / Supplied

US authorities have described her as a "procurer" of underage girls for paedophile Epstein.

She also faces other charges, including "transporting a minor for the purposes of criminal sexual activity" and "conspiring to entice minors to travel to engage in illegal sex acts".

Daily Mail reported Maxwell told her friends she is looking forward to having her day in court.

"I fear it will be impossible to get a fair trial. I have tremendous fear that overwhelmingly negative media stories will poison my jury pool and affect the outcome of my trial despite the evidence that will demonstrate everything the jurors thought they knew isn't true," she said.