why was stephen fry in jail

Stephen Fry was in jail as a teenager because he committed credit card fraud. After stealing credit cards from a family friend at the age of 17, he went on a spending spree which included staying in hotels and shoplifting, actions that led to his arrest in Swindon. He was subsequently sentenced to three months in Pucklechurch prison, a young offenders' institution. He later described this period as a turning point in his life, after which he turned his life around and went on to have a successful career. This experience is detailed in his autobiographical book "Moab is My Washpot" and has been discussed by him in various interviews and podcasts.