I just wanted to meet up with my victim and see what I put him and his family through and how it affected him. We didn’t plan on doing it. We was all drunk and ended up taking his belongings and beating him up. After that I just felt sorry for him and wanted to meet him.
I don’t wanna keep coming into prison. I’ve been in prison before. I wanted to change my ways and not keep committing crime. Drinking isn’t the problem for me. My anger and my temper is. I want to change things for me and my family
When I first met him, I was scared of the confrontation. I thought he’d go off on one and be really angry. I was surprised he’d come and met me. My mum was with me. He came in. I told him how sorry I was. He didn’t go off on one. He was chilled about it.
He felt sad and sorry for me being in prison. He said “I hope you do well while you’re in prison and will stay out of trouble when you come out”. He hadn’t been able to work due to his injuries. He had a fractured skull and brain injury. I’ve pretty well put someone out of a job and earning a living. His job involved helping people in the community.
I’ve been writing letters to him through RJ at his request to let him know what I’m doing. He wanted to know why we done it.
If I see him when I get out I’ll acknowledge him and say how are you doing? He’s a good guy. He’s got a good heart and means well. I just wish we’d met differently.
I would recommend RJ. When I was at court everyone there recommended it to me and when I got sentenced Julie from RJ got in touch with me. In my cell before the meeting I didn’t know what to expect. I thought about pulling out but decided I might as well actually meet him and learn something from what I’ve done.
My mum is pleased that RJ happened. Pleased I actually met him and am sorting it out. My mum is happy I’m on the right track.
I want to go into schools and other places in the community with him if he wants to, to tell people not to go down the same path as me.