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Kieron can remember the moment it dawned on him that he might not become a professional footballer. That was also the moment when he took a decision to start hustling – selling drugs to earn money.

This new life rapidly escalated, and at 17 he was in prison for a crime involving a knife.

Released aged 20, he sees now that he had just spent three years cooped up with people who shared his damaging mindset. After release, he picked up where he left off, leading to an altercation involving a firearm. He was arrested, charged and convicted, being sentenced to 25 years. He was only 22 at the time.

While in prison, Kieron discovered reading and completed a degree from the Open University. After release, he completed a Masters and is about to start a PhD. He has given evidence to the House of Lords ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Affairs and Justice Committee on conditions in prison.
But how does he feel, all these years later, about the harm he caused as a young adult?

This is an astonishing interview that gets inside a mindset that, according to Kieron, is pervasive among people from similar backgrounds to his.

Dr Sally Tilt and Dr Kerensa Hocken are forensic psychologists who work in prisons. Their job is to help people in prison understand the harm they’ve caused, identify why it happened, and work out how to make changes to prevent further harm after they’ve been released.
In Behind the Crime, they take the time to understand the life of someone whose crimes have led to harm and prison.

For details of organisations that can provide help and support, visit bbc.co.uk/actionline

Producer: Andrew Wilkie
Editor: Clare Fordham
Behind the Crime is a co-production between ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Long Form Audio and the Prison Radio Association.