'I went to jail for trying to shoot someone - I have to pinch myself at my life now'

Prisons minister James Timpson has admitted jails are “failing victims” because they are releasing dangerous people who are committing crime again.

In his first interview in the role, James Timpson told the something was “clearly going wrong” when 80% of crimes were done by someone who had offended before. He spoke to the Mirror in southeast London at The Clink’s HQ, a charity that teaches prisoners and ex-offenders culinary skills.

The Clink is a model of success in the rehabilitative area. In the last two years, 60% of those participating in its projects secured long-term employment post their release from prison. Their training programmes reduce reoffending by 32%. In 2021 the charity launched a project to deliver training in up to 70 prisons for offenders to gain professional culinary qualifications.

You can read Lord Timpson's interview with the Mirror . We've interviewed two people who have shared their experiences with The Clink and how it changed their lives.

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'I broke down crying and asked myself: "What have I become?"'

A man who was jailed for nine years for gang related crimes said he has to “pinch myself” when he thinks how much his life has changed after his experience with The Clink.

Michael Balogun, who is now an acclaimed actor and a trustee of the rehabilitation charity, was sent to prison after trying to shoot somebody. He told the Mirror he remembers sitting in his cell one day and breaking down in tears when he found himself thinking about where he would put a body if he killed somebody.

He said: "When the reality of what I was thinking about dawned on me at that moment, I was like: ‘What have I become? Who am I?’”

Late nights watching Gordon Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares gave him the idea of one day opening up a fusion African-Caribbean-American restaurant. Michael later ended up going to The Clink restaurant in Surrey's High Down prison, where he did culinary courses during his time in jail and which led him to working in a kitchen at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.

After connecting with students and discovering a passion for acting, he auditioned for the school when he was released and was accepted. Michael has gone on to have a distinguished career, starring in plays including Romeo and Juliet with Tom Holland and TV shows such as the ’s Sherwood and ’s Top Boy. He is due to star in Kenneth Branagh’s upcoming film The Last Disturbance of Madeline Hynde.

“Sometimes I can’t even believe it. It’s like I’m a completely different person. Sometimes I’ve got to pinch myself,” Michael says. He praises the Clink for giving me “hope”, adding: “It showed me that just because I’m at this stage of life and the things I’ve done, I’m not a write-off. “There was something about creating these dishes and then giving it to people and them eating it and going: ‘Oh my god this is delicious.’ And then you go: ‘Oh, I can actually be good at something outside of selling drugs.’”

'This opportunity is a blessing - I didn't know what I'd do'

A woman, who is still serving her prison sentence for drug-related crime, said the opportunity to learn cooking skills has been a “blessing”.

Urszula Drozd said the Clink, which she is released to on temporary licence from Downview prison each day, has given her “hope” and the feeling of going “back to normal”. She had no experience of cooking but now has a passion for it and is progressing up the professional cooking levels.

Urszula said it was a “terrible feeling” when she was sent to prison but being in The Clink has changed her outlook about her future. “Being in there and having this opportunity is a blessing. I didn’t know what I was going to do,” she told the Mirror.

“But I’ve spent the time wisely. I’ve done the qualification. I’ve got an experience.” She continued: “I’ve learned a lot. I feel confident in pastry. I’m still learning because I’ve done level one professional cookery and I’m nearly at the end of level two.

“I love it. I’ve never had any experience but now I understand the whole process of baking and everything.” She said she worked as a sales assistant for 20 years and only thought about the “day-to-day” instead of career. She plans to progress to a level three professional cooking course, adding: “I’m putting 100% into the job.”

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