Man who has been jailed 23 times says one thing stopped him from taking drugs and burgling

A dad-of-eight who has been jailed 23 times has revealed the one thing that made him quit drugs and crime.

Micky, from Greater Manchester, has been in and out of prison for years, having first been locked up at the age of 15 for stealing cars.

The dad has also struggled with drug addiction, and found it difficult to maintain jobs.

CleanStart

After becoming homeless, Micky found himself in a vicious cycle of turning to crime, which ultimately landed him back in prison.

But after his last stint in jail - marking his 23rd time - Micky made it his mission to overhaul his life, and he's revealed the one thing that kept him going.

“It was a terrible life,” he told the Manchester Evening News. “I was young and getting in trouble. Every time I went to get employment, I couldn’t get a job.

"I had the odd jobs on building sites through agencies, but it just made me feel like I was worthless.

“I was homeless for a long time. That was one of the main reasons I kept going back to drugs when I got out of prison. I was rolled back onto the streets with nowhere to go and ended up going back to places surrounded by drugs."

Micky explained that his drug addiction meant he was constantly in and out of prison, but it was his eight children that finally gave him the push to turn things around.

“I wanted my kids to look up to me. This is the first time in my life I’ve not been on anything and I’m proud of that," he said.

Micky is now taking part in a programme called CleanStart, which helps prepare ex-offenders for the workplace.

Staff help with ground maintenance, cleaning and caretaking across the region, with individuals also given a coach, offered therapy and provided with support to help with essential skills and finances.

CleanStart

Micky now has a permanent position within the programme and hopes to climb up the career ladder to become a team leader.

He also hopes to get his own car and continue volunteering to help those struggling with drug addiction.

“I’ve faced a lot of challenges – becoming homeless and living with people doing drugs,” he said.

“But I kept my distance and focused on where I wanted my life to be. If I can turn things around, anyone can. They just need to be given a chance and a clean start."