CJS | SJS-078

Malky's Story

Malky tell's his story from chaos, addiction and his darkest moment to recovery, repair and redemption.

CRIME. CRIME COMMITED (ALLEGED)

My Mum and Dad split up when I was 16, my Mum had a nervous breakdown, my Dad moved away, we had to sell the family home and had to look after my gran who had dementia. I was a 16 year old boy who didn’t know what he was doing. I got involved in substance abuse. I start hanging about with a group of lads. I remember the first thing I did was smash a car window and they all thought it was great and I was a bit mad. When other people were going to college and going to work, me and my friend were drinking, selling drugs and partying like we were rock stars, but without being able to play an instrument.

COURT. GUILTY VERDICT

I deserved to go to prison for what I done but there should be work around it.

SENTENCING. COMMUNITY SENTENCE

Community Service was harder than prison. Prison was quite easy to be honest. Having that structure around you; I’d never had it before. Never had those boundaries from a young age.

SERVING SENTENCE.

Looking at what support networks you get when you come out. It’s a false environment when you come out. You have to come out - you get pushed back into the same situations. How’s that going to help? You have to look for a property, look for a somewhere to stay, looking for your Benefits. You’re going back into the same network of friends.

SERVING SENTENCE. END OF SENTENCE

When I went for treatment I thought yeah, I’m going to come back and work here. Within three years, here I am, managing a project.

SERVING SENTENCE. END OF SENTENCE

Physically, people don’t see the same me as before – but it’s the same person staring back at me in the mirror. I’m still the same guy staring back to me in the mirror. But I’m a million miles away from that person. And I’m quite happy with that and I don’t intend to go back.

Lucy's Story

For years, no one saw Lucy as Lucy. It was ‘Lucy the junkie’. She’s now an award-winning student embracing life as a scholar and a grandma!

CRIME.

Drugs were a big part of my life early on...

COURT

When I was standing in front of the Sheriff, I thought I was going to jail, I was standing with my bag ready to go, trying to fight back the tears, because the adrenaline, you know, was running through me, and the fear, you know, I hadn’t really done a jail term, you know, time in jail, and I was scared, and also because at the time I was standing in front of him, it had been a year and a bit that had passed since the crime, by the time I went to court.

SENTENCING

I knew I had to face the punishment for my crime, for my actions, you know, so I was petrified. It should have been a custodial sentence, he told me I was an exceptional circumstance, because of what I’d done to turn my life around, and what I was doing to help others, so he gave me three hundred hours community service.

SERVING SENTENCE

I worked in a charity shop. You’re serving customers that don’t know you, they’re going about their everyday life. Just talking to people, and being part of something, part of the community, that was massive for me. That was the first time I’d felt like that in a long, long time, you know?”(

END OF SENTENCE

I am Lucy, you know, not a junkie, I’m not a drug dealer, I’m just Lucy. I’m a grandmother, I’m a mother, I’m a student, I’m a dog owner - I’m worth so much more

Jack's Story

How drugs took over a young lad’s life. He was arrested, alone and sentenced to a second chance.

COURT. JUDGE CONSIDERS SENTENCE

I would say I got a second chance from the judge. My life was in her hands. The right hand was jail; the left hand was ‘other’. I’m glad I got the left hand.

COURT. TRIAL

I kinda went off the rails a bit; I got involved with pot, I started smoking dope; I tried a class A drug – cocaine. I was drinking. Excuse my language I wasn’t giving a f***. I was just basically not listening, come in at all in hours in the morning 2,3,4 o’clock. Being in a court by yourself for a change is quite nervous anxious quite terrifying. When my name was called out you have to go down to the dock. You’re up in front of the judge. The PF is explaining and your solicitor is fighting for; it’s quite an intense time. Because I literally thought from the minute that I was on that dock that I was getting a custodial sentence.

SENTENCING.

Because I literally thought from the minute that I was on that dock that I was getting a custodial sentence. Luckily not. she said; ‘I’m going to give you a community pay back order of 120 hours and then I got a tag around my ankle for 145 and I also got an 18 month Supervision Order that I’ve still got a year left to complete.

SENTENCING. COMMUNITY PAYBACK ORDER

A community Service Pay Back order. I think gives you kind of a wake-up call but also you’re learning new skills as well as you’re doing things like painting, gardening, woodwork, removals so you are picking up new skills. You are treating it like a workplace as I did. In a way I can say I enjoyed it. I took it as a punishment but I benefited from that by gaining skills that were going to help me get into work as well.

SERVING SENTENCE. CPO COMPLETED

It got me in a routine for work. I did enjoy it but I took it as a punishment as well. I was mixing with older people. Some people like me. Talking to my supervisor like Peter and Paul, I quite enjoyed it. Punishment but experience as well. … I see myself hopefully successful and not where I was a year ago. I’m not going to be reoffending with drugs again and no dealing whatsoever. And I would say if I keep thinking positively, I have a good future. That’s where I’d see my life going.

Morag's Story

Morag made a mistake – but fought her own shame and other’s judgement to find peace and contentment.

CRIME. REPORTED TO POLICE

When I was like 21, I had my boys, had my horse, my dog, husband, house; had everything and was happy; or so I thought. My alcohol intake probably gradually got worse as I was gradually beginning to feel lonelier in my relationship and so when he was out I’d have a drink. I’d attended the doctor that afternoon. I’d had a drink obviously. She asked me if I had and said ‘yes’. And she had obviously advised me not to get into the car. At that point I got the car and thought I feel fine I’ll be alright. By the time I got down the road back to the house the police were there. I knew immediately why they were there. I got caught drink-driving it was my first offense.

CRIME. REPORTED TO COPFS

In the holding cell, my mind was just going the past and what the future could be- how the boys are going to take it. That was my worst fear – how they were going to take it. Reading it in the paper strangers commented on that and that I should have been jailed.

SENTENCING. COMMUNITY PAYBACK ORDER (CPO)

I got an order for a Woman’s only support group called O.W.L.S. for three years. Along with a 3year ban. My order is finished but I still volunteer to go in and attend, ask for their help.

SERVING SENTENCE. CPO COMPLETED.

My order is finished but I still volunteer to go in and attend, ask for their help. I’ve had a second chance. I may not have deserved it but I’m glad I got it. There could have been a serious accident; I could have hurt somebody, could've hurt myself, could have been far, far worse. So, I’m glad, and I’ve thanked the Doctor for intervening that day. And I’m working to be in a better place.