Listening to criminals talk about how they have turned their lives around and will never return to jail is not that uncommon but it is often unlikely to be accurate. However, Graeme Hetherington has spoken to a former ‘one-man-crimewave’ who has not only done just that, but regularly returns to prison to help other inmates break their cycle of crime.

MANY prisoners believe they will begin life on the straight and narrow once they have served their sentence, but sadly, a high proportion of offenders return to a life of crime and, eventually, back to jail.

Until 2009, the likelihood of meeting Jodie Hind inside Stockton’s Holme House Prison was pretty high, but these days you are only likely to see him if you attend one of his mentoring sessions in which he shares his experiences with persistent offenders in the hope of helping them mend their ways.

By the age of 28, Mr Hind had accumulated 20 convictions covering 87 offences and, over several years, had been in and out of prison.

Most of his convictions were for theft or burglary, but his record was also littered with driving offences.

The key factor behind his offending was an addiction to drugs and alcohol, and with that, the overbearing sense that everyone else was to blame for his predicament.

“I was selfish,” he said. “I only thought about myself and never considered what effect my behaviour was having on my family. When you are in prison, you suffer because it’s not the best place in the world to be – but it is no easier for your family on the outside.

“But it was only when I became completely sick of being stuck inside that I decided to do something about it and vowed never to return to prison.”

The 33-year-old, from Stockton, was registered on the Persistent and Prolific Offender (PPO) scheme being run by the Durham Tees Valley Probation Trust, after being labelled a “one-man-crimewave” by police.

However, it was the help and support he received after being released from his last sentence, which saw him locked up for four years, which convinced him to completely transform his life.

As part of his rehabilitation, Mr Hind enrolled in adult education classes and battled his way through the 12 Steps Programme, which helps addicts and alcoholics overcome their addictions.

After beating his own personal demons, he has since set about trying to help other people in similar circumstances.

He said: “When I was trying to sort my life out, there wasn’t anyone to talk to who had been through what I had – they were talking to me using information from a text book, but what I was living was real life.

“I had to recognise and address the issues that were underlying my addictions, and it was only once I had done that, that I could start to rebuild my life properly.”

HE finished his last jail term on May 1, 2009, but his release was subject to strict licence conditions until January this year. As part of those conditions, he was monitored extensively as a PPO – but at the end of his period under licence, he chose to voluntarily continue in the programme.

He has remained free from drugs and has been working for the Five Lamps charity, in Thornaby, near Stockton, where he mentors habitual offenders and helps them to recognise and change their behaviour.

And in June, he won the volunteer of the year award at the annual North-East Voluntary and Community Sector Awards.

It is the fact that he speaks from experience that is not lost on many of the people he now works with inside Holme House, in Stockton.

Gary Young, from Hartlepool, is awaiting sentence for a burglary he carried out only days after his release from prison following his previous conviction.

The 39-year-old has spent a number of years in the judicial system, but now believes that the support Mr Hind can offer will help him to keep out of prison.

His life spiralled out of control following his brother Richard’s death, and his addiction to drugs led to his life of crime.

“I was struggling to deal with my brother’s death, then my uncle, who I was really close to, died, and that just led to a life of addiction and crime” he said. “You miss so many family occasions, funerals, weddings and birthdays, but you don’t really appreciate the amount of damage that does to your family.

“After being locked up ten days after my release in June, I realised that I needed to do something to change the way I live my life, so hopefully, with the help of this course, I will be able to sort out my problems and start rebuilding the damage done to my family.”

MR Young’s story is not that different from many prisoners – however, it is the opportunity to change that is driving him on this time.

With the support of Mr Hind, he is waiting to be sentenced for, what he maintains, will be his final crime.

As well as his work within the prison system, Mr Hind is also involved in a recovery group and is willing to talk to anyone who is tired of living a life of crime or addiction.

He said: “Everybody can change the way that they live – it is just about realising that you are responsible for all of your actions and wanting to change for yourself.”

Mr Hind can be reached on 01642-673828.