Will had been on the hospital wing a week when he was sweeping the fourth floor landing, and an inmate Kenny Price looked out of his hatch as Will passed his cell.
“Oi tea boy,” Kenny said.
Will felt slightly irritated at Kenny’s tone and answered, “What,” as he looked through Kenny’s hatch.
Kenny was holding a small piece of cannabis between his thumb and forefinger and he said, “Give this bit of puff to my mate Micky Dingle in cell 39 on the three’s.”
Will stared at Kenny a moment and thought to himself that Kenny looked like one of the most evil people he’d ever seen, then Will said, “Sorry mate I can’t do that.”
“Eh,” Kenny replied looking even more serious, “Whad ya mean you can’t do that?”
“I can’t pass drugs,” Will said simply, “I’m a Christian.”
“A Christian?” Kenny said looking like he was about to explode, then he said, “I don’t care if you’re the bloody pope. Just pass the puff to my pal or I’m gonna do you some serious damage.”
“I’m not frightened of you,” Will said simply, and he turned to continue sweeping the landing.
Kenny’s eyes looked like they’d pop out of his head and angry veins appeared on his forehead, and with a voice that sounded like ice, Kenny said, “I’ll deal with you later tea boy. You dunno who your dealin’ with.”
“Whatever,” Will said unimpressed, and he continued sweeping the landing.

Will went on to the exercise yard in the afternoon. There were about a 150 inmates on the yard. Half the wing at a time. Around the edges of the yard were also some small groups of prison officers.
Will was walking around with Tony Peters, a professional shop lifter who’d just been sentenced to two years. Tony had been put on the hospital wing for observation as he’d asked the prison doctor for antidepressants. Will knew Tony from another prison.
As Will and Tony were walking, Kenny Price suddenly stepped in front of Will and faced him. He was with two other inmates, one black and the other mixed race.
“You wanna get mouthy with me now screws tea boy?” Asked Kenny, his eyes bulging like he was psychotic.
“I don’t want no trouble man,” Will replied as he tried to step round him.
Kenny looked around the yard and saw there were no officers looking in their direction and Kenny suddenly gave a right hook punch to the side of Will face. But Will didn’t even flinch.
Kenny sneered, “You gonna forgive me Jesus boy? Or are you gonna be a man and fight back?”
Will surprised himself by suddenly smiling and said, “Jesus said in the bible that if a man strikes you on the cheek, then turn to him the other cheek also…So if you wanna hit me this side as well, do it.”
Kenny clenched his fist and thought about hitting Will again, but then he said, “You’re a nutter,” And walked away.
Will smiled and continued walking.
When they’d got to the other side of the exercise yard, Tony said sounding frightened, “Do you know who that is?
“No,” Said will, seeming unconcerned, “Who is it?”
“That’s Kenny Price,” Said Tony, looking round nervously to make sure he was out of Kenny’s earshot, “He’s a psychopathic serial killer. He just got four life sentences for killing four prostitutes. The judge recommended that he never gets released.”
“I better start praying for him then,” Will said smiling, “He needs Jesus.”
“I’m being serious,” Said Tony, sounding even more frightened, “You need to get off the hospital wing. You don’t know what he could do to you. ‘E’s never getting out, so ‘e’s got nothing to lose.”
Will smiled and said, “Jesus will look after me.”
Tony still looked frightened and said, “How can you be so calm?”
“I dunno,” Will answered simply, “All I know is that since I became a Christian, I just feel peace most of the time.”
Tony just stared at Will like he thought Will was on a different planet, then Tony said, “I don’t think you realise how serious this is.”
Will smiled again and said, “An’ I don’t think you realise how powerful my Jesus is. If it weren’t for Jesus I’d have been dead already.”
Tony didn’t know what to say.

The next morning Will was on the hotplate on the ground floor serving breakfast with four other inmates and a couple of officers. Will was serving the porridge.
Suddenly Will saw Kenny Price. For a second Will felt tense, but then he suddenly calmed. Kenny looked different. The evil arrogance was gone and he looked slightly nervous and didn’t make eye contact when Will ladled porridge into Kenny’s bowl.
Later on Will was sweeping the fours landing and as he got to Kenny’s cell, Kenny said quietly through the open cell hatch, “Oi mate.”
“Yeah,” Will answered slightly weary.
“I just wanna apologise for chinning you on the yard yesterday.”
Will raised his eyebrows surprised and said, “Don’t worry about it.”
Kenny then blurted, “One of my pals has got a blade in e’s cell. I was gonna get it off him and stab you to death on the exercise yard today.”
Will suddenly looked shocked, and Kenny continued, “After I got off the exercise yard yesterday I was in a rage. I was angry all day an’ night. I really wanted to kill you. I’m never gettin’ out, I’ve got nothin’ to lose.”
Will just stared at Kenny without speaking and Kenny continued, “Then last night I had a dream. I dreamed that you an’ Jesus came into my cell an’ Jesus said somethin’ like. Do not harm this man. He loves prisoners, an’ when ‘e gets out he’ll come back voluntarily into jails to tell inmates about me. An’ those that accept me will become free in my love.”
Kenny looked confused and continued, “I’ve never had such a real dream before. Its like you an’ Jesus really came into my cell.”
Will seemed astonished and said, “Jesus can reveal himself to people in all different ways.”
“I wish I had a future like you. I wish I could get out one day an’ help prisoners. But I ain’t ever gettin’ out. I’ll never be free.”
Will was suddenly filled with compassion and said, “Jesus can set you free in your heart, mind and spirit even if you’re still in prison.”
“How can ‘e do that?” Kenny asked.
“You just have to invite him into your heart an’ give your life to him.”
“Whad’ya mean…Become a Christian?”
“Yeah.”
“How do you do that?”
“You just need to repent of all your sins and ask him to be Lord of your life.”
Kenny looked slightly confused and Will asked, “Would you like to become a Christian?”
“Yeah…I want what you’ve got. You just seem different from most of the other prisoners in here. You can just see that you’ve got peace in ya.”
“Ok,” Will said, “If you wanna become a Christian just repeat what I say.”
Will then said the salvation prayer that the Michael the prison priest had prayed with Will over a week before, and Kenny repeated it word for word. After Kenny had ended the prayer with the last word ‘Amen,’ he suddenly put his hand out through the hatch and shook hands with Will, and Kenny said sincerely, “Thank you man. Thank you so much.”

As Will continued sweeping the landing after he’d led Kenny to become a Christian, Will’s mind was deep in thought, and he felt overawed. He thought about what Kenny had said about Jesus saying that Will would come back into prisons to tell the inmates about Jesus. He knew that some ex prisoners who’d become Christians, came back into jail with civilian church groups, but he’d never really thought that he’d do that, but right now he realised that he’d love to do that. He wanted other inmates to have what he now had, which was a real sense of love and freedom.
After he’d swept the landing, he went back into his cell, sat on the bed and closed his eyes and with his hands together in prayer he said, “Do you want me to help prisoners Jesus?”
Within moments Will was surprised to hear a voice in his head say, “Isaiah 61 verse 1.”
Will knew that Isaiah was a book in the bible, so he picked up the bible that the priest Michael had given him later in the day when he’d become a Christian. Will turned excitedly to the scripture he’d just heard and read it. It said. “The spirit of the sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners.”
As Will read that scripture, it was like the bible was a living, breathing book, and the words had leapt off the page. And Will suddenly knew he had a calling in life, and while he was in prison and when he got out, he would help prisoners.

It had been exactly a month since Will had been sentenced to seven years. That day he had a visit from his common law wife Jenny, his co-defendant Peter, and Peter’s partner Kerry. They all sat at a small table in the crowded visiting hall. Will looked at Peter, pretended to scowl and asked, “How come you got three years suspended an’ I got five years for the same crime?”
Peter looked slightly uneasy and said, “Its cos I had a different judge mate, an’ you escaped when we were in the police station together.”
Kerry added slightly defensive, “Its also cos I’d just gave birth an’ Peter’s tutor Paul on the filmmaking course he’s doin’ stood up for Peter in court an’ gave him a character reference. If it weren’t for that, Peter would have probably got five years as well.”
Will suddenly smiled and said, “I’m only pullin’ yer leg mate. But you were lucky man. Some people were saying that you must of bin a grass to get off that lightly. But I said to them…No way man. You’d never grass on anyone. An’ I’ve known you since we were kids.”
Peter suddenly relaxed and added, “I was just lucky man. I had a good barrister as well.
They pause a moment, then Peter said, “What’s all this about you becoming a Christian? I read your letter twice an’ I was gobsmacked.”
Will smiled and said, “Its true. The day I got sentenced I was just about to hang meself in my cell an’ Jesus just appeared an’ told me that ‘e loved me an’ that I’ve got a good future. The next day I saw the priest an’ become a Christian by saying the salvation prayer.”
Peter looked around the visiting hall, then said quietly, “Its alright mate. You can tell me. Are you just pretending you’re a Christian an’ making out you’ve changed, hoping that they’ll let you out early on parole?”
Will looked slightly wounded and said, “Nah mate. I really am a Christian now.”
Peter studied him a moment, then said, “Well you do look slightly different.”
“Whad ya mean?”
“I dunno,” Answered Peter, “You used to always look a bit dark an’ edgy all the time. But now you look lighter. Like you’re shining a bit. An’ you look clean an’ peaceful. I can’t really explain it…You just seem different.”
Will smiled, “That’s the holy spirit in me mate.”
The four of them pause a moment, then Will said, “The three of you should become Christians. It will change yer life. You’ll feel so much different. You’ll feel free.”
Peter and Kerry squirmed in their chairs slightly, and Peter said, “Its not really my scene mate. I can see its working for you, but its not really for me.”
“It is for you,” Will said with certainty, “Jesus is for everyone.”
Peter and Kerry looked more uncomfortable, then Jenny said, “I’m thinking of doing a church Alpha course. I can see that Will really has changed. Its made me curious.”
“Whats an Alpha course?” Asked Peter.
“It’s a ten week course,” Said Will, “Usually two hours a week where you get taught about what Christians believe, an’ you can ask any questions you want about God. Some people become Christians at the end of it, an’ some don’t. No one will force you into becoming a Christian. It has to be your free choice.”
No one spoke for a moment, then Will looked at Peter and Kerry and said, “Why don’t you think about doing an Alpha course…Jenny’s thinking of doin’ one…You can all do it together.”
Peter, Kerry and Jenny looked at each other for a moment, then Peter surprised himself by saying, “Ok…I’ll think about it.”
Will looked at Kerry smiling and asked, “What about you Kerry?”
Kerry looked slightly embarrassed, then said, “Well if Peter an’ Jenny do, I will as well.”
Will looked at them all smiling and said, “Cool. Jesus is gonna set you all free.”

Later that night Peter and Kerry were seated on the sofa of their council flat. They’d earlier ordered pizza and Peter looked slightly puzzled and said, “What do you think about what Will said about becoming a Christian?”
“I dunno what to think,” Kerry replied, “Seems a bit weird to me. But also a bit amazing. I can tell ‘e’s definitely changed. ‘E just seemed different. Like ‘e’s at peace.”
“Do you really think we should do an Alpha course?”
“I dunno,” Kerry answered, “I still need to think about it.”
Suddenly they heard their letter box knock, “Must be the pizza,” Said Peter.
When Peter got to the door he realised the knock had been a leaflet coming through his letter box. He bent down to pick it up and looked at it. He then brought it into the living room and he looked awestruck as he said to Kerry, “This is spooky man. This leaflets just come through the door.”
“What. What is it?”
Peter stared at the leaflet a moment, still stunned and said, “It’s a leaflet from the church on the corner, inviting people to an Alpha course starting next week.”
“Show it to me,” Said Kerry looking half frightened and half excited.
Peter handed the leaflet to Kerry, who studied it a moment, then she said sounding in awe, “I think Gods calling us.”
Peter just stared at her, also awestruck and said, “So do I.”
Moments later the pizza arrived, and when Peter paid the delivery man and gave him a two pound tip, the man smiled and said, “God bless you mate.”
Peter then noticed the small silver cross on a chain around the mans neck, and the penny suddenly dropped, and Peter just knew that Jesus was God.

Thirty year old Will had been sentenced to seven years, the day before. Five years for an aggravated burglary in Richmond, Surrey. And two years to run consecutively for an attempted burglary on a luxury penthouse flat in Knightsbridge, London.
As soon as Will’s prison cell door on the fourth floor landing at Wandsworth prison was open, he was already up and on a high. A natural one. Frankie, Will’s prison pal from the cell next door, suddenly came into Will’s cell and asked. “Seriously…what’s all this about Jesus appearing in yer cell last night? What was you on to make you see that?”
Will ran his hand over his short, dark cropped hair, smiled and answered. “I weren’t on anything. I was just about to hang meself an’ Jesus just appeared in my cell an’ told me not to kill meself…An ‘e said he loved me an’ I had a good future.”
Frankie frowned looking serious and said. “That’s weird man.”
Will smiled again. “Not to me it ain’t…’E saved my life.”
Will then went into the office at the end of the landing and said to an officer behind the desk. “I wanna make an application to see the priest guv.”
The officer smirked and said. “What…You got a confession to make?”
“Nah guv. I wanna tell him about the amazin’ thing that ‘appened in my cell last night.”
The officer reached for one of the paper application forms on his desk and asked. “What happened then?”
Will smiled and said. “I was just about to hang meself an’ Jesus appeared in my cell an’ told me not to kill myself and told me ‘e loved me an’ I had a good future.”
The officer suddenly looked serious. “You were going to hang yourself?”
“Yeah,” Will replied smiling. “I had a strip of sheet tied to the bars an’ everything. Then Jesus just appeared in me cell…’E’s beautiful guv.”
The officer still looked seriously concerned. “What’s your name lad? And what cell are you in?”
“William Morris. Cell thirty-seven.”
“Ok lad,” The officer replied, still looking concerned. “I’ll tell the priest you want to see him.”
“Cheers guv.”
A little later, just after Will had ate his breakfast in his cell, the cell door was suddenly opened and two prison officers walked in. One of them, a short, fat officer called Mr Giles said. “Pack yer kit Morris. We’re taking you to the hospital wing for observation.”
“Eh,” Will asked, looking confused. “Observation for what?”
The other officer, Mr Peters, who was tall and skinny, said. “You told an officer you were suicidal Morris, an’ you’d had a hallucination and seen Jesus in your cell.”
Will looked stunned and slightly hurt. “It weren’t an ‘allucination. It was real. Jesus really came into my cell.”
The officers looked slightly embarrassed and Mr Giles said. “We think your not well Morris. You just got seven years yesterday. You must be in shock, an’ that can do funny things to the mind. We just need to put you on the hospital wing for a little while to observer you…And make sure you don’t do anything silly.”
Will sighed. “Fair enough. I can understand what your thinkin’. But what I saw was real…An’ I’m not suicidal anymore.”
“Look Morris,” Said Mr Peters. “We’ll just put you on the hospital wing for a little while and review you again.”
“Ok,” Smiled Will, suddenly perking up. “But there’s nothin’ wrong with me. I’m ‘appy, an’ you’ll see that.”

On the hospital wing they put Will in a cell on the ground floor of the four story wing. He was in a row of cells reserved for high observation, which meant he’d be checked on by an officer every fifteen minutes. The cells on the hospital wing didn’t have little round spy holes on the door like the cells on the main wings in the prison, but had small open hatches in the doors, so that the inmates could be easily seen and the officers could pass medication to the prisoners without having to open the cells doors.
After Will had been in the cell half an hour a prison officer called Mr Matthews looked through Wills hatch for the second time and Will suddenly said. ‘Oi guvnor, there ain’t any jobs on the wing are there? Wing cleanin’ or some’ink? I just wanna get out of the cell.”
“You’re on suicide watch,” Said Mr Matthews. “You have to stay in your cell so we can observe you.”
Will looked frustrated and said. “I’m not suicidal anymore. Honestly I’m ‘appy now. But I just wanna get out of this cell an’ do some’ink to occupy me.”
Mr Matthews stood at the hatch looking unsure, then said. “Maybe in a few days or something. If you behave yourself and we think you ain’t a threat to yourself or anyone else, we might be able to give you a job then.”
Will felt frustrated, but forced a thin smile and said. “Ok guv. Fair enough, but trust me when I say I don’t wanna harm myself or anyone else. I don’t really understand what’s ‘appened to me, but all I know is I feel different an’ the last thing I wanna do is top meself…An’ it seems weird by I actually feel really ‘appy. I feel freer for some reason, an’ I can’t really explain it.”
Mr Matthews stared at Will a moment, weighing up what Will had said. “like I said Morris, just keep your head down for a few days and maybe we’ll give you a job then.”
“Ok guv. Fair enough.”

Five minutes later the Christian priest Michael Collins unlocked Will’s cell door. He smiled at Will and sat on Will’s bed and said. “I hear you had a visitation from the Lord.”
“Eh…Whad ya mean?” Asked Will.
“You told an officer that Christ appeared to you in your cell last night as you were about to kill yourself.”
Will looked stunned and suspicious and asked. “Yeah…How do you know?”
Michael smiled. “All the officers are talking about it. Some of them think your mad.”
Will looked slightly embarrassed. “Yeah. What do you think though. Do you think I’m mad?”
“Tell me what happened.”
Will took a deep breath, then said. “I got seven years yesterday. I was depressed an’ was just about to hang meself in my cell an’ then I heard a voice say I love you…I turned round an’ see Jesus just standing in the middle of me cell. He then said some’ink like…Don’t kill yerself. Follow me. I’ve got a good future for you…An’ then ‘e just disappeared.”
Will felt more relaxed to see that Micheal was still faintly smiling and Will asked again. “Do you think I’m mad?”
Michael paused a moment then said. “No…I’ve been a Christian more than thirty years and I know God is supernatural. I know Jesus can make himself known to people in a lot of ways…Ok, he doesn’t physically appear to everyone, and its quite rare when he does, but I’ve read a lot of autobiographies of criminals who became Christians, and a couple of them had also said Jesus appeared to them when they were in their cells…One person that happened to was a guy called Fred Lemon, who wrote his autobiography called Breakthrough, which was first published in the early 1980’s.”
They both pause in silence for a few seconds, then Michael said. “Maybe God wants you to write a book.”
Will raised his eyebrows and said. “I’ve thought about writing a book for years.”
They are both silent a moment, then Michael asked. “Would you like to become a Christian?”
“Yeah,” Will said with certainty, then asked. “But how do you become a Christian?”
“You just need to repeat a prayer I’m about to say to you. But I want you to understand first what it means to be a Christian.”
“What does it mean?” Will asked curiously.
“First and foremost,” Said Michael. “It means you get eternal life. When you die your soul goes to heaven and you’ll live there with Jesus forever.”
“Is that true?”
“I believe it is…And it says it in the bible. John 3 verse 16 says, for God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
“I’ve heard that before,” Said will.
“its probably the most well known verse in the bible,” Said Michael.
“I would like my soul to live forever,” Said Will. “What have I gotta do?”
“Just repeat this prayer after me,” Said Michael, still smiling. “I’m sorry Jesus for all the bad things I’ve ever done.”
“I’m sorry Jesus for all the bad things I’ve done.”
“Please forgive me.”
“Please forgive me.”
“Thank you for dying on a cross for me.”
“Thank you for dying on a cross for me.”
“Please come to live inside my heart.”
“Please come to live inside my heart.”
“Please take away all my guilt and shame and make me clean and holy.”
“Please take away all my guilt an’ shame an’ make me clean an’ holy.”
“I promise that from this moment onwards I will live for and serve you.”
“I promise that from this moment onwards I will live for an’ serve you.”
“Thank you for setting me free.”
“Thank you for setting me free.”
“Amen.”
“Amen.”
Will and Michael stared at each other. Michael was still smiling slightly and asked. “How do you feel?”
“I feel different,” Will said quietly. “An’ I’ve felt different since last night. I just don’t feel so dark, heavy or depressed. I feel at peace.”
Michael smiled even more. “You’re a new man. The old has gone. You’re now a new creation in Christ.”

Five minutes after the priest left, Mr Matthews the officer Will had spoken to earlier, suddenly opened Will’s door and said. “We shouldn’t be doing this Morris, as you’re supposed to be on suicide watch, but I’ve just spoken to the priest and he thinks you’re ok…If you still want a job, we’ll move you to the fours, as we need a wing cleaner on that landing.”
Will smiled and said. “Sweet guv. I’m up for that.”
Five minutes later Will was in a cell on the top fourth floor landing. Will was over the moon, as from standing on his chair he could look out of the cell window and see over the wall again. This time he could see Wandsworth common, where he used to go fishing as a kid.
After briefly looking out of the cell window, Will got on with his new job and swept then mopped the fourth floor landing. When he’d finished he went back to sit in his cell, but with the door open. A little while later, Mr Matthews came back to his cell and asked Will. “Do you want another job Morris serving food on the hotplate at meal times.
“Yeah,” Will said happily surprised again. He’d worked on the hotplate before in other prisons wings and knew that not only did it add a few quid to his prison wages each week, but also there was often extra food left after the inmates had been served, and this extra food was shared by the inmates who worked on the hotplate.
“Ok then Morris, you’ve got two jobs in one day,” smiled Mr Matthews, then he added. “Come down to the office a minute Morris. A few of the officers want to know what happened to you last night.”
Will walked into the ground floor office with Mr Matthews. There were another three officers there and Will told them what had happened last night when Jesus came into his cell and stopped him committing suicide. Afterwards the officers looked gobsmacked and an old officer called Mr Kelly, said. “I’ve been in this job thirty-seven years lad and I’ve heard every inmate bullshit story under the sun…But what you’ve just said lad takes the biscuit.”
Will immediately looked hurt and deflated and said. “Its true.”
Mr Kelly looked sceptical. “I suppose you’ll tell me you’ve become a Christian next?”
“I have. When the priest came to my cell earlier.”
Mr Kelly rolled his eyes. “You only got seven years yesterday lad. It’s a bit early to pretend you’ve changed, to get out early on parole.”
Will didn’t know what to say and Mr Matthews suddenly laughed and broke the tension. “Don’t listen to grumpy guts Morris. Mr Kelly is one of the most cynical officers in this jail.”
Will and the other officers suddenly smiled, except Mr Kelly who scowled and said. “When you’ve been in this job as long as me Mr Matthews, you’ll know all about being cynical.”
Will was surprised to hear himself suddenly saying. “I’m gonna start praying for you Mr Kelly.”
“Yeah Morris. Pray I win the bloody lottery, so I don’t have to work in this dump anymore.”
Will and the other officers suddenly started laughing, and even Mr Kelly suddenly smiled.

After Will had spent three days on the hospital wing, Mr Matthews came to Will’s cell and said. “You don’t need to be on the hospital wing anymore Morris. We can see that you’re well.”
Will smiled, pleased at the confirmation that the officers didn’t think he was mad or ill.
Mr Matthews continued. “You can either go back to a mainstream wing for a couple of months till they ship you out to another prison, or you can stay on the hospital wing, keep your job as a wing cleaner and hot plate worker, but we also want to offer you a job as the officers tea maker. It will give you an extra five pound a week, and with your wing cleaning and hot plate job it will mean you earn fourteen quid a week. And your cell will be unlocked from 7.30 in the morning till 8.30 at night.”
Will raised his eyebrows. “You really wanna offer me a tea maker job?”
“Yeah Morris. All the officers really like you. And they can see from reading your prison record that you’ve suddenly changed,” Mr Kelly smiled and added. “You used to be a right scum bag. I saw on your record that you even assaulted a couple of officers before. You often refused to work. You’d escaped from custody three times. And you’d been suspected of smuggling in and selling drugs on the wing.” Mr Matthews smiled again and added. “Now I haven’t even seen you smoke a cigarette.”
Will smiled and said. “This is gonna sound crazy, but ever since I saw Jesus in my cell, I’ve only lit one cigarette an’ immediately put it out. It made me feel sick, an’ I’d smoked all me life…I just don’t want cigarettes anymore, an’ I don’t even miss or want drugs…I just feel clean now an’ I’ve never felt so good.”
Now Mr Matthews raised his eyebrows and said. “If that’s true Morris, there is hope for you yet. If you can stay away from drugs, you can stay away from crime. Most of the crimes you committed were to pay for drugs…So I really hope Morris, that you can stay drug free and you don’t waste anymore of your life in places like this.”
“I swear guv, an’ I’ve never been so sure of it. I’ll never take drugs again. An’ I’ll never commit crime again. Jesus has gave me a wake up call. An’ I’ve never felt so alive an’ excited about the future…I just wanna put the past behind me, stay out of jail and be there for my missus and kids…Being in an’ out of prison an’ on drugs all these years has been breakin’ their hearts. I’ve suddenly realised how much damage an’ pain I’ve been causin’ myself an’ other people. I was livin’ in a world of selfish hate, but Jesus opened up my heart, an’ now I feel love…I feel free now an’ I’m out of addiction.”
“I believe you Morris. I really believe you.”
Neither of them spoke a moment, then Mr Matthews asked. “Do you wanna stay on this wing then Morris and accept the tea making job?”
“Yeah guv,” Smiled Will.
“In that case,” Smiled Mr Matthews. “You might as well start now. I’ll have a milky coffee with one sugar.”
Will laughed slightly. “No problem.”

TO BE CONTINUED

It was May the 1st, 2005, when Will sat in the dock of The Old Baily, flanked by a prison officer either side of him. Will ran his hand over his cropped, dark hair, and his tall, thin frame was slightly hunched as he sat in jogging bottoms, a tee-shirt and trainers.
The prosecutor Malcolm Reed outlined the charges against Will and he told Judge Royston, “Your honour, William Morris, thirty years old, of Earlsfield Road, Wandsworth, South West London, did an aggravated burglary at Welbeck Road, Richmond, Surrey, in August last year.
“He’d done the aggravated burglary with an accomplice in the early hours of the morning and had woken up the victims and had threatened to kill their two teenage daughters if the couple didn’t open a safe for them. The two defendants then fled the premises with forty-thousand pounds worth of jewellery and eight-hundred pounds in cash.
“William had been arrested for this crime and remanded in custody. However, William and three other inmates managed an audacious escape from police custody, then earlier this year he attempted to burgle a Penthouse flat in Knightsbridge, South West London. He was confronted by police officers on the roof of the luxury block of flats, then in sheer desperation and fear of going back to prison, he attempted to commit suicide by throwing himself off the roof and scaffolding lining the building. It was only by the grace of God that he survived with just a dislocated shoulder after he landed on a mattress in a skip containing builders rubbish.”
“Does the defendant have any previous convictions?” Asked Judge Royston.
The prosecutor continued, “The defendants offenses go back to the age of nine, when he was first arrested for shoplifting. And by the age of twelve he had regular court cases for crimes including burglary. He first got sent to a detention centre at the age of fourteen for burglaries and robberies where he’d snatched handbags from females, and since then he’s had a number of custodial sentences, the last being a three and a half year sentence, again for aggravated burglary…He’d only been released for six months when he’d committed the Richmond crime that he’s in court for today.”
“Thank you Mr Reed,” Said the judge, then he looked at John Hargreaves, Will’s barrister and asked, “Mr Hargreaves, what are your clients mitigation circumstances?”
“Your honour,” Said John, “My client has had a very difficult life. He was placed in care from the moment he was born and never knew his parents. He grew up in children’s homes, so found himself in the company of many other unruly children who committed crimes from a very young age, and due to peer group pressure he felt obliged to join in.
“He also took soft drugs from when he was a juvenile, and as an older inmate in prison he was introduced to harder drugs like heroin, crack and ecstasy. For many years my client had used these drugs, and became particularly dependant on crack cocaine and ecstasy, both of which my client says he was addicted too. And because of this addiction he felt the desperation to commit the crimes he’s in court for today. So his prime reason for committing these crimes was to pay for drugs.
“Your honour,” John continued, “My client knows he is facing a custodial sentence today and I simply ask that you deal with him as leniently as you can under the circumstances. My client is so traumatised by the years he spent in prison that he tried to commit suicide the last time that he was arrested, rather than face going to jail, and these kind of thoughts have not gone away. He is a real suicidal risk while he is in prison and I fear that a long custodial sentence may plunge him into despair and tip him over the edge.”
After a brief pause Judge Royston looked at Will’s barrister and said, “Thank you mister Hargreaves,” He then looked at Will sternly and said, “William Morris, I’ve listened to the prosecution and your defence lawyer. I understand that you committed the crimes you’re in court for today because of your addiction to drugs. However, you need to learn your lesson. You have a list of previous offenses going back to your childhood and you’ve had many sentences, the last being three and a half years, and you’d only been out six months when you committed the aggravated burglary in Richmond. You then had the audacity to escape from custody and you were arrested again after you tried to burgle a flat in Knightsbridge.”
The judge seemed to stare even sterner as he continued talking to Will, “People need to learn that if they commit offenses again and again, their sentences will get longer, which will hopefully be a deterrent. I therefore sentence you to five years for the Richmond aggravated burglary, and for the attempted burglary in Knightsbridge I sentence you to two years to run consecutively. Therefore you are sentenced to a total of seven years.”

It was 6.30 in the evening. Will was seated in a large holding cell in Wandsworth prison with about forty inmates who’d been sentenced that day. The sentences ranged from two months to life. Crimes that ranged from shoplifting to murder, and everything in between.
Every now and then inmates were called out to see a doctor and be processed through reception. When it was Wills turn to see the doctor, the doctor said, “I see you got seven years today.”
“Yeah,” Answered Will, emotionless.
The doctor then glanced down at Will’s file, then said, “It says on your record that you’re suicidal. How are you feeling now?”
“Fine,” Said Will, hiding his feelings.
The doctor looked puzzled and said, “You just got seven years. Are you sure you’re feeling fine?”
“Yeah,” Will said simply.
“Are you still suicidal?”
“Nah.”
“What’s changed then?” The doctor asked, studying Will intently.
Will shrugged, “I dunno. I just don’t feel suicidal. I feel alright.”
The doctor looked at the prison officer beside Will and said, “He’s fit for the main.”
Will smiled slightly. His plan was working. He’d successfully avoided being put on suicide watch on the hospital wing and would be going to a mainstream wing. On the hospital wing he’d have been checked every fifteen minutes. On the main though the night watchman would look through the cell door spy hole about 9 Pm, then wouldn’t look through the spy hole again until about 6 Am the following morning. Will was planning to hang himself after the 9 Pm check.

After Will was processed through reception he was taken with a dozen inmates to B wing. The wings were four story’s high. There was the ground floor and level two, three and four had narrow landings about three feet wide, outside the cells and edged by four foot high railings. Stretching across from each side of landing one was safety wire mesh to prevent people trying to commit suicide by jumping off the upper landings, and also to protect any inmates or staff that may have been thrown over.
Will had arranged to have a single cell and had lied to a prison officer saying he snored really loudly, and that in the past he’d ended up fighting with cell mates because his snoring had annoyed them when it had kept them awake.
About 9 Pm the officer on night duty started walking around the four landings, peering a moment through each cell door spy hole before moving to the next. Will was on the top landing, the fours.
As soon as the officer had looked into Wills cell, Will sat down at his small table and chair and began writing a suicide note to Jenny, his long term common law wife and mother of his children.

Dear Jenny,

I’m so sorry babe. But I’ve decided to kill myself. I can’t survive in jail for another seven year sentence. I feel like I’m already dead. This sentence has finished me.

I’ll always love you and the children, but I just can’t cope with jail anymore. I’ve been in and out of jail since I was a kid, and now I’ve had enough. I feel like I’m buried alive.

Sorry
Love
Will x

Will stared a moment at what he’d written. Tears came to his eyes. He then picked up one of his bed sheets and tore a strip about an inch wide for the whole length of the seven foot long sheet. He then put his chair against the back wall of the cell, stood on it and began tying the strip of sheet around the cell bars set behind the small window, high up in the wall.
As Will was on the top landing he could see over the prison wall and in the distance he could see the tower blocks behind the Arndale shopping centre just over a mile away, with their lights shinning in the darkness. Apart from the time he’d spent in prison, Will had lived in the Wandsworth area all of his life. He’d had friends who lived in the tower blocks he could see. For a moment he stared at them, replaying warm memories in his mind. Memories of being with school friends when he was a kid, mixed with memories of getting high and scoring drugs from friends who lived there when he was older.
The darkness of despair came back when he suddenly remembered he’d been sentence to seven years. He shivered and started tying the noose to put around his neck. He was still facing the window and was about to put his head through the noose when he heard a soft voice say, “I love you.”
Will turned around, half shocked and half surprised. Standing in the middle of his cell was Jesus Christ. He was dressed in a white robe and Will had never seen someone shinning with such brilliance. And as Will stared into Jesus’s eyes he felt mesmerised by their beauty and warmth.
Will stepped down from the chair and just stood there dumbfounded and Jesus spoke again saying, “Do not kill yourself. Have hope. Follow me. I’ve got a good future for you.”
And then Jesus just disappeared. Will stood there for a moment, utterly stunned. Suddenly Will heard three thumps on his cell wall. Then he heard a voice out of the window from the next cell, “Yo next door.”
Will didn’t answer for a moment, and he heard another three thumps and the voice said again, “Next door.”
Will stood on his chair again and answered, “Whad’ya want?”
“You got any cigarettes?” Asked Frankie, the guy in the next cell.
“Nah,” Will replied, still feeling surreal from what had happened.
There was a pause, then Frankie asked, “Is that you Will?”
“Yeah,” Will replied, “Who’s that?”
“Its Frankie…Frankie Williams. Your old cell mate from Pentonville a few years ago.”
Will was deep in thought a moment trying to remember, then he said, “Frankie. Yeah, I remember you. How are ya man?”
“I’m alright,” Said Frankie, “I thought I recognised yer voice.”
There was a moments pause, then Will said sounding awestruck, “You won’t believe what’s just ‘appened.”
“What?” Asked Frankie, “What’s ‘appened?”
“I got seven years today and was just about to hang myself an’ Jesus appeared in my cell an’ told me not to do it and told me he loved me…I can’t believe it. He saved my life…I really would have topped myself.”
There was an awkward embarrassing silence, then Frankie asked, “You smokin’ some’ink?
“Nah.”
“You on a trip?”
“Nah.”
“You on an E?”
“Nah, straight up. I’m not on anything.”
Again, there was an awkward pause, then Mental Micky, a big fat black guy who’d been listening on his bed from the landing below, suddenly came to his cell window and shouted out the cowboy phrase, “Yee haw,” Then added, “Hallelujah. Jesus saved another soul.”
Frankie then said, “Oh no. You’ve started mental Micky off. ‘E’ll be talkin’ out ‘e’s window for another hour now.”
“I heard dat,” Said Micky.
Frankie then said to Will a bit quieter, “I’m gonna read my book now mate. I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Alright man,” Will replied.
Frankie then said softly, “And don’t worry about yer seven year sentence man. With remission you’ll do just over four. Or if you behave yerself an’ your lucky you could be out on parole in less than three. It may seem depressin’ now, but its not that long.”
“I’m not depressed man,” Will said smiling, “I told ya, Jesus just came into my cell an’ told me I’ve got a good future.”
“Yeah, yeah, whatever,” Frankie replied suddenly sounding a bit irritated, “I’ll see ya in the mornin’ mate.”
“OK,” Will replied still smiling.
“Praise the Lord,” Shouted mental Micky.
Will got down from his window feeling slightly amused. He laid down on his bed. Mental Micky and several other inmates then started joking and talking out of their windows. You have never guessed that they were in a prison full of hardened criminals as some of the inmates acted like big kids.
As Will laid on the bed listening to them, he still had a smile on his face. But then he suddenly wondered if he was going mad. He’d been taking drugs for many years, and maybe seeing Jesus had been an hallucination. A flash back he thought. But then he just knew that Jesus had been real. And he’d never ever felt such a presence of love as what he was feeling now. Earlier he’d been so depressed and feeling such despair that he’d wanted to die. Now he was feeling so high and blissed that he felt like he was in heaven. And more than anything he felt hope again and he’d never felt so loved.
After a while, Will disentangled the strip of sheet from around the bars. He then changed out of his prison clothes, got into bed and closed his eyes. Forty minutes later for the first time in years he was sleeping without fear, without worry, without despair. He was sleeping so peacefully and so relaxed it was like he was a baby. He was in the safety and comforting presence of Christs love.

TO BE CONTINUED

On the 14th of December, 2004, two weeks after Peters son was born, Peter appeared at The Old Baily for sentencing. The prosecutor, Nigel Smithers, spoke to judge Randel to outline details of the case.
“Your honour, Peter Philips, 23 years old, of Garrett Lane, Wandsworth, South West London, committed an aggravated burglary at approximately 4 A.M, at Welbeck Road, Richmond, Surrey.
“During the burglary the home owners were woken up, and Peter Philips co-defendant threatened to kill two teenage girls, if their parents didn’t open the safe. The two defendants then fled from the premises with eight hundred pounds in cash and forty-thousand pounds worth of jewellery, and before they left they locked the four family members in a bathroom.”
Judge Randel looked sternly at the prosecutor and asked, “Does the defendant have any previous convictions?”
The prosecutor Nigel then said, “Your honour, the defendant has convictions going back to the age of thirteen. He first appeared in juvenile court for shoplifting. At the age of fourteen he was sentenced to three months detention centre for stealing cars.
“At the age of fifteen he was sentenced to nine months for burglary. He was later sentenced to a year for burglary, then a sentence of eighteen months, and the last sentence he received was two years, again for burglary, and also possession of cannabis. And he’d only been released for nine months when he was arrested for the crime he’s in court for today.”
“Thank you Mr Smithers,” Said Judge Randel, then he looked at Peter’s barrister Roger King and said, “Mr King, what are your clients mitigation circumstances?”
“Your honour,” Said Roger, “My client came out of jail over a year ago, and determined to go straight he’d enrolled on a film production course at college and had been doing well, then his old friend William asked him to commit a crime with him, and they’d done an aggravated burglary together, which my client is in court for today.”
“Where is the friend today?” Judge Randel asked looking slightly confused.
Roger then said, “Both defendants were sharing a cell together in police custody, when the co-defendant William escaped.”
The judge raised his eyebrows and Roger continued, “My client Peter could have escaped with him, but he didn’t want to go on the run and just wanted to face up to his actions.”
Roger continued, “A magistrate then gave Peter bail and he’d been at the birth of his son two weeks previously and since he’d been on bail he continued studying at the film production course at college.”
Roger then continued, “I’d now like to call Peters college tutor Paul Mann as a character witness for my client.”
Roger looked at Paul as he got into the witness box, then said to him, “Paul, you are currently my clients tutor at South Thames College, could you please describe Peter to the court.”
Paul coughed slightly to clear his throat, then said, “Peter is a very good and highly likeable character. Its no exaggeration to say that he is my favourite student…He is also extremely talented, and has so far had an essay and some of his video work marked with distinctions.
“If Peter went to jail today it would seriously delay his progress, and if Peter is able to complete his two year HNC course, he aims to go on to university or film school to study filmmaking at degree level.”
There was a moments silence in the court then Roger said, “Thank you Paul.”
The judge then looked at Paul and said, “Thank you Mr Mann. You may now leave the witness box.”
Paul looked across the court to Peter in the dock and winked at Peter and Peter smiled slightly.
Moments later Roger said, “Your honour I’ll continue my clients mitigation circumstances. As I mentioned before, one of the most significant events in my clients life happened two weeks ago. He became a father and had seen his son being born. If Peter was to go to prison today, he would miss out on an important part of his child’s development and his common law wife would be under enormous pressure bringing up their child alone.”
Roger then concluded, “Therefore your honour I ask that you give my client a suspended sentence, or if you do send him to jail today, I ask that you make the sentence as lenient as you feel you can be under the circumstances.”
After a pause the judge looked at Peter sternly and said, “Peter Philips you stand before me today for committing a serious crime. You have been a habitual criminal for many years. Usually for a case like this I’d give you a sentence of five years…However, you appear to have redeemed yourself. I’m impressed that you never escaped from custody when you had the chance to. And you’ve also become a father, and you seem to be taking parenthood responsibly.
“From what your college tutor said, it also appears that you are becoming a very talented filmmaker. And this shows that there is hope for you and your future…Who knows. Maybe you’ll be the next Ken Loach or Guy Ritchie.”
Peter suddenly smiled slightly, as did other people in the court.
The judge continued, “I’m going to give you a chance young man…The sentence I’m giving you is three years, suspended for two years. That means that you are free to go today, and if you keep out of trouble for two years the sentence will be quashed…However, if you get arrested for anything else, you will serve the three year sentence, plus be sentenced for the additional crime…Do you understand?”
“Yes your honour,” Peter said over the moon, “I won’t let you down judge.”
The judge slightly smiled, “Good…I hope that’s true young man.”
Peter then looked up at Kerry in the public gallery, sitting with his mum. Both of them were grinning with happiness.

It was just after three’o’clock in the morning when Will climbed on to the scaffolding around a block of luxury flats in Knightsbridge, London.
The block of flats were six stories high, and Will climbed up ladders in the scaffolding to reach the top floor. He knew that the penthouse apartments were usually the most expensive properties. Most of the bedrooms in the flats had their curtains closed, but Will found one with the curtains open, and one of the little double glazed windows was open in the top of the window.
Will peered through the window but couldn’t make out much in the darkness. He couldn’t see clearly the elderly sleeping couple in bed. But Lady Howesworth, an ex politician was unable to sleep, and seeing Will suddenly appear outside her window on the scaffolding made her freeze with terror.
Will put his arm through the little window to try to open the handle of the larger window below it, but it had a window lock. As Lady Howesworth watched this she wanted to scream but was paralysed with fear. Moments later Will pulled his arm back out and frustrated made his way up on to the roof to give himself time to think.
Lady Howesworth then shook her husband Cecil awake, and feeling groggy from sleep he asked, “What is the matter?”
“There’s an intruder on the scaffolding. He just put his arm through our open window and tried to break in.”
Cecil sat up more and rubbed his eyes, “Are you sure?”
“Of course I am. I’ve been awake and just watched him.”
“Where is he now?”
“I don’t know,” Answered Lady Howesworth, “He’d walked further along the scaffolding.”
“We’d better call the police,” Said Cecil suddenly feeling more awake.
Cecil then dialled 999 and told the operator that someone had tried to break into their flat and the person he spoke to said they’d send the police to investigate right away. When Cecil put down the phone he said, “We’d better call the night porter as well and tell him what’s happened.”
“Ok,” Said Lady Howesworth still feeling frightened.
Cecil then called Tom, the night porter, who was based in a room on the ground floor of the luxury flats, and he told Tom that someone had just tried to burgle them and that the police were on their way.
Within five minutes Tom and two police officers were ringing on Cecil and Lady Howesworths door. They let them in and Lady Howesworth told them what she’d seen.
“Which way did the man go after trying to get into your flat?” Asked Colin, one of policemen.
“He went to my left with me facing the window,” Said Lady Howesworth.
“Is this the top floor?” Colin asked.
“Yeah,” Said Tom the porter.
“Is there an entrance to the roof?” Colin asked, not sure why he’d asked this.
“Yeah,” Said Tom, “There’s a stairwell leading to the roof at the end of the landing.”
“Ok,” Said Colin, still not sure where his train of thought had come from, “Lets look on the roof.”
“Ok,” Said Tom, “I’ll show you where to go.”
As they walked along the landing, the other policeman called Ted said to Tom, “There’s other police officers on the way. Maybe go downstairs and let them in, and tell some of them to search the scaffolding.”
“Ok,” Said Tom.

Will was sitting against the four foot high back wall that edged the roof. He’d just rolled a joint with cannabis and cocaine in it, when he suddenly heard the door that led to the roof open.
About forty feet away he saw the two policemen Colin and Ted exit the door. Even from that distance he saw the two policemen freeze as they spotted him in the darkness.
Will quickly stood up and stared at them, and the two policemen walked quickly towards him and as they got to about ten feet away, Colin flicked out his telescopic metal truncheon.
Will looked nervously over the wall at the scaffolding, then he turned back to the policemen. So far none of them had spoken, then Will said, “I ain’t goin’ back to jail,” And he suddenly leapt over the roof wall, onto the scaffolding, and in an attempt to commit suicide he threw himself off the scaffolding to the ground sixty feet below.
Will landed in a skip containing builders rubbish, with a thick double bed mattress on top. The impact of the fall momentarily shocked Will. For a second he wondered if he was dead, then when he tried to move he suddenly felt a searing pain shoot through his right shoulder, back and ribcage. Landing on the mattress had saved Will’s life, but he’d dislocated his shoulder and could hardly move and was in agony.
Will just laid there for nearly a minute, then he managed to sit up, feeling the pain shoot through him. He managed to get out of the skip and stood unsteadily on his feet, but moments later a policeman called Jeff and a policewomen called Sally seemed to appear from nowhere and grabbed him. Their colleagues on the roof had radioed them and said Will had jumped off the roof.
Jeff said, “I’m arresting you on suspicion of attempted burglary. Anything you say maybe given in evidence and used against you in a court of law. Do you understand?”
As Sally spun Will round and snapped handcuffs on Wills wrists behind his back, Will said, “Arrrggghh,” Feeling the pain shoot through him again, and he said, “I need a doctor. I think I’ve broke my shoulder.”
Sally said suddenly feeling sympathetic, “We’ll take you to A and E and get you checked out before we take you to the station.”
Jeff looked at the mattress on top of the skip then looked at Will and said, “You’re lucky to be alive son.”

TO BE CONTINUED