Life not so unkind to me after all
I am doing 12 years for burgling a Supermarket and stealing money from Securicor 5 ½ and 6 ½ consecutive. I felt hard done by; 12 years for non-violent crimes but money is God and always will be; stole too much of it. However, when I discovered Steve’s story I didn’t feel life had been so unkind to me after all.
When I was tried last year I started off confident, I had to plead guilty to the Supermarket (ASDA E10) burglary as I was caught outside with the money (870 grand) and 4 others (brother, Mates, Son!) the theft from Securicor was different. Put simply – I didn’t do it, but know who did. They had a tame Judge who, when told my Barrister was filing for dismissal due to a complete lack of evidence against me, he allowed something called “Evidence of bad Character”. The Judge told the Jury of the Asda burglary and that was enough for them, the thought process of “If he did that, he must have done the other” came into it and they found me guilty. I didn’t do it.
Instead of getting 5 ½ years for the burglary, I got 12.
I was in Penonville prison while the trial went on it lasted a month. I was badly depressed during it and was at my wits end, on how to cope. A teacher in the prison education dept. was made aware of my depression and came to my help in a curious way. She taught me how to write poetry. She would put different problems regarding poetry under my cell door during the day, so when I got back at night I’d not have time to dwell on the days happenings. Instead I’d spend my evenings and weekends writing. She taught me Sonnets. How they were constructed written and shaped. She left me books and downloads and set me tasks! “Write on this”! “Love, life, yourself, work, boats” all sorts. Doing these, I kept my head straight, kept my sanity I’d say. Now I have an abiding love of poetry, especially sonnets. I’ve wrote 40 odd, some I’m proud of, some looking back, no good. But the effort of doing them: the rhyming, structure, keeping to the rules, is fascinating and I love them.
I’ve tried to get Steve interested but he smiles, shakes his head- “no mate, I can’t do them”. Neither could I until last year. Steve hasn’t got a good teacher in me.
I had a first class teacher in Jenny Thomas of Pentonville education dept.
A real teacher; she didn’t just stay with the easy tasks like teaching the class allocated to her. She left the education dept. and helped others on the wings at night. I was one of them who wasn’t allowed on education- (E. man) she’d be talking to Cons. Through their cell doors long after she’d ended her classes. She persevered with other bods as well as me and for that reason she’s liked and remembered. When I talked with her on the odd day off trial- one week to the next, I’d say “Jen, I can’t do this-or that” she’d convince me to keep on. She’s the reason you’re reading this, I guess. Anyway, to prove I can do a sonnet, here’s one of mine. A boating one (and true)
SAILING
I’m borne along the Elemental wind,
It fills the mainsail close hauled, full and by.
It whips the spray until my face feels skinned,
Force 5 at least, for small craft it’s to high.
I head to land; I seek the river's mouth,
No mark in sight, the sun is setting fast,
I doubt my Compass, is it west or south?
Fear slithers through my gut, the
I beat towards a far off yellow light,
And pray to god it’s not an outbound Barque.
But soon it’s gone, there’s not a thing in sight,
I sit in misery: lost in the dark.
Dawn breaks, I wake, my prayer to god did reach,
The tides gone out, I’m stuck on
Well? No matter what you think of it, doing them helped me a lot. It’s a terrific way to spend time in cell.
So thanks for reading this and if you can help Steve in his quest for humanity and justice please do – do what you can for him.
If you want to write to a Con like me, I’m GR. Watts (Rick) RE7663 HMP Rye Hill, Willoughby Nr. Rugby, Warwickshire, CV23 85Z. I’ll answer any letters.
See you Rick
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