4Viewers
More

Banged Up: Stars Behind Bars

The ex-prisoners who took part in Banged Up: Stars Behind Bars are no longer involved in criminal activity. Here's what they are all doing now: 

ABDUL BANGURA

Offences: Aggravated Burglary, ABH and Intent to Supply
Time served: 5.5 years

What is Abdul doing now?
Abdul is a single father living in Essex. He is the Director of ALAC Group, a company that specialises in the sale of private aircraft components. Abdul is a motivational speaker with his own business coaching consultancy.

AKHI AYMAN

Offence: Section 3 Robbery
Time served: 2.5 years

What is Akhi doing now?
Akhi is a religious motivational speaker who has gained a large following on social media amassing millions of views on his content monthly. He is also a community activist and does outreach work across the UK. Akhi helps young people who are struggling with problems such as mental health issues and gang involvement.

CHET SANDHU

Offences: Various including Conspiracy to Supply Class A drugs, Blackmail, GBH and Control of Prostitution.
Time served: 7 years

What is Chet doing now?
Chet is a landlord of numerous properties in Newcastle, Washington and Cyprus including three short-term lets (Airbnb). He runs Alpha CBD Oil Ltd, a CBD oil business selling creams, oils and lotions. He released his first book From King of Karachi to Lockdown in the Costa Del Crime four years ago and the follow-up, Self Made, Dues Paid came out this year. Chet also has his own clothing brand and creates artwork.

DAVID MCMILLAN

Offences: Importation and Possession of Class A drugs
Time served: 23 years

What is David doing now?
David has written of his jail breaks and misadventures around the world in several books. Although beyond retirement age, he designs CCTV systems for large houses across London. “Why so many homeowners across London trust a former smuggler with access to their private lives, I can’t say” admits David. On weekends, he enjoys the company of grandchildren and pet Pomeranians.

 

DWAYNE NATHAN JACK

Offences: Various including Robbery, Affray and Possession of Offensive Weapon.
Time served: 12 years

What is Dwayne doing now?
Dwayne is an author, speaker, mentor and educator. He is the Director of two social enterprises; RoadLight Ltd, an OCN Open Collage Network Centre, providing MOJ Ministry of Justice bespoke non-formal Therapeutic Urban Intervention programs for Rehabilitation & Resettlement and 7roadLight CIC providing intervention programs to schools, colleges, charities and local authorities, which support vulnerable families and young people. He has published a book The Tree of Life.

EZEKIEL KING

Offences: Various including Robbery and Drug Offences
Time served: 5.5 years

What is Ezekiel doing now?
Ezekiel is a director of Ezekiel King CIC, running projects in the school holidays for Birmingham City Council. He also has led anti knife crime and county lines drug dealing workshops in secondary schools. In 2019, Ezekiel published his debut novel From Innocence to Arrogance.

FRANK STEDMAN

Offence: Conspiracy to Supply Cocaine
Time served: 4.5 years

What is Frank doing now?
Since leaving prison Frank has dedicated his life to his family, and lives in Essex with his son, and partner. He works as a self-employed scaffolder and often appears on podcasts sharing his story. Frank is in the process of writing his debut novel about his criminal past.

GARY WILLIAMS

Offences: Various including Robbery, Possession of a Firearm and Wounding with Intent
Time served: 13.5 years

What is Gary doing now?
Gary now works with the West Midlands Police Crime Commissioner to deliver mentoring and anti-knife crime workshops. He is also a therapeutic structured mentor for 14 to 18 year olds. Gary has recently set up PureJerk, a Caribbean food stall in Wolverhampton and is in the process of developing a food seasoning range. Gary’s long term goal is to open a social enterprise in his community with youth services and go karting facilities.

JAH THOMPSON

Offences: Various including Robbery, ABH, and Battery
Time served: 8 years

What is Jah doing now?
Jah creates content for his social media channels, takes part in documentaries and podcasts talking about the realities of growing up on the streets, his struggles and his prison experience. Jah is active in his community, feeding, clothing and helping the homeless. Jah’s goal is to have his own youth club helping kids off the streets.

JORDAN ROBERTSON

Offences:  Various including Assault, Theft and Carrying a Knife  
Time served: 5 years

What is Jordan doing now?
Jordan works as a night concierge for a student accommodation organisation in Glasgow. He releases music under the moniker ‘Hawaii Fivo’ and has his own podcast ‘Premeditated Patter’ on YouTube which he hosts and produces. He is also an actor/comedian and documentary maker.

KEVIN LANE

Offences: Various including Kidnap and Murder
Time served: 24 years

What is Kevin doing now?
Kevin runs Modula Manufacturing Homes Ltd, a business importing prefabricated homes from Turkey. He volunteers for the charity Nishkam Swat, working with disadvantaged communities. In 2020 Kevin released his autobiography Fitted Up and Fighting Back, detailing his 20 year prison stay. A film by the Lennox brothers based on Kevin’s autobiography has been written and is in the process of being made.

LEWIS CLARK

Offences: Various including Armed Robbery
Time served: 12 years

What is Lewis doing now?
Lewis is a social media influencer, using his social media channels to share his story. He has created his own YouTube series ‘GymBarz’ where he interviews ex-offenders. Lewis volunteers with Carney’s Community, a charity that aims to engage young people at risk of committing crime through boxing and conversation. He gained his Level 3 Personal Training certification and trains the kids twice a week whilst sharing his prison experience. He is also in the process of writing a book.

LIAM MEREDITH

Offences: Various including Aggravated Burglary and Battery
Time served: 5.5 years

What is Liam doing now?
Liam is a mentor for youth charity Key4Life, working with young men at risk of going to prison. He is a public speaker, and ambassador for the charity. Liam also works with corporates trying to get mentees into paid employment, as well as facilitating workshops such as sports and music. Liam runs his own mobile catering business alongside his family within the groups of Yeo Valley Farms and is launching ‘Beeleaf’, a sustainable clothing business.

MATTHEW NORFORD

Offences: Various including Intent to Supply Class A Drugs
Time served: 6 years

What is Matthew doing now?
Matthew is a former gang leader. He is the founder and Director of 1Message Ltd, an organisation working to help children avoid a life of criminality. He provides training for social workers and health professionals in identifying gang grooming and child criminal exploitation. Matthew receives funding from the police, the Mayor of Manchester and councils around the Northwest.  

OFILL ALLEN

Offences: Various including Murder
Time served: 17.5 years

What is Ofill doing now?
Since leaving prison Ofill works as a trainee scaffolder. He is a key youth worker for The Safety Box, a charity that delivers preventive workshops to young people at risk. Ofill also makes rap music and releases it under his first name.

REECE MCCOY

Offence: Money Laundering
Time served: 15 months

What is Reece doing now?
Reece is a Partner and CEO of IT company, Black Brain IT. They provide business-to-business services. He is also a Partner and CEO of Solutioncorp LTD, a marketing company.

RICH JONES

Offence: Conspiracy to Supply Class A Drugs
Time served: 15 years

What is Rich doing now?
Rich is the Director of Project TLS CIC, a company delivering courses to rehabilitate veterans that are in prison. He works privately as a trauma therapy practitioner in ultraBLS. In his spare time, Rich volunteers with veteran’s mental health charity, Icarus and sits on the advisory board with the National Prison Radio. He published his first book Charlie Four Kilo in 2020 and his second book Overseas Operations is soon to be released.

TERRY ELLIS

Offences: Various including Robbery and Possession of Cocaine
Time served: 16 years

What is Terry doing now?
Terry is one of the founders of Scoff Meals, an eco and nutrition focused meal delivery service alongside his daughter and her partner. It started as a kitchen table business and now runs as an operation out of a professional kitchen. Terry is a keen author having published several books about his prison experience.

TIMMY FORDER

Offences: Various including Robbery and ABH
Time served: 3 years

What is Timmy doing now?
Timmy is a rapper releasing his debut single ‘Freestyle’ earlier this year. He is currently working on new music. Timmy is currently working towards a Personal Training Instructor course at his local gym and credits his fitness journey for providing him a sense of focus.

TOM ROBERTS

Offences: GBH x 3
Time served: 9 months

What is Tom doing now?
Since last year, Tom has been working to build and promote Ellev8, a cryptocurrency and asset management platform. They have opened franchisees all over the world. He has previously undertaken voluntary work with Share Shop Chester, a charity that helps homeless people. 

TONY GOOCH

Offences: Various including Theft, Burglary and Assault
Time served: 7 years

What is Tony doing now?
Tony is the Director and Owner of A.R.T Productions, a video production company. In 2022 their documentary ‘The Joyce Family’ was a number 1 best seller on Amazon Prime. He also works as a HGV recovery driver for Caldicot’s Highway Recovery. Tony gives talks to young people at schools, colleges, universities and prisons about his life and experiences in the hope to deter them from becoming involved in crime. He has undertaken work for the Teagan Smiles charity and later this year will be the face of EE’s new UK home security system.

YUSEF BOUATTOURA

Offence: Various gang crimes (acquitted)
Time served: 7 months

What is Yusef doing now?
Yusef is a Director & Founder of Yatoura Ltd. Yatoura is an online luxury fragrance business which he built over lockdown. Yusef has his own personal training business, PRO.PT that he started eight years ago. He has previously trained celebrity and influencer clients. Yusef is also a shareholder of a beauty hair salon. He has a large following on social media where he is involved in the influencer boxing scene. Yusef is a mentor and trainer at DWRM Consultants, an organisation that works with universities offering a range of degree courses that are available to students in prison. He has previously volunteered and become an ambassador for Feeding the Homeless UK after he came out of being homeless himself at 18 years old.