Latest news with #LifeStories
Scottish Sun
3 days ago
- Scottish Sun
I've interviewed murderers and rapists at UK's ‘Monster Mansion' prison – but one harrowing case left me broken
Over the course of her career forensic psychologist Kerry Daynes has been stabbed, had an eyeball dropped in her soup and been subjected to a horrific stalking ordeal CRIME TIME I've interviewed murderers and rapists at UK's 'Monster Mansion' prison – but one harrowing case left me broken Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) SITTING across from the cold hearted murderer, Kerry Daynes barely flinches, in fact if anything she's trying to suppress a yawn. The forensic psychologist, 51, is talking to the serial killer Dennis Nilsen, responsible for the death of at least 15 people during his killing spree in 70s and 80s. 10 Kerry Daynes worked as a forensic psychologist for over two decades 10 Kerry started out at HMP Wakefield - otherwise known as 'Monster Mansion' Credit: Alamy 10 She says serial killer Dennis Nilsen was one of the 'dullest men she ever met' Credit: Rex However, his grisly past doesn't spark an ounce of fear in Kerry. 'Dennis Nielsen was one of the most boring people that I've ever met,' she says. 'He was a dull civil servant that could complain for England, he could have turned it into an Olympic sport. 'The only thing that made him interesting, really, was of course these hideous offences that he'd committed.' Hideous offenses are, of course, Kerry's bread and butter, having spent more than two decades analysing some of the UK's most dangerous criminals from Moors Murderer Ian Brady to infamous inmate Charles Bronson. With her cool and collected attitude it's a career she's thrived in but Kerry, who lives in Manchester, admits that she almost went down a very different path. Speaking as part of Life Stories, The Sun's YouTube series that sees ordinary people share their extraordinary experiences, she says: 'I really wanted to be an advertising executive. 'I thought there was loads of money in it and it seemed like money for a rope.' After taking psychology at university, she "fell into" criminal psychology after developing a crush on a boy in that module. 'There was one boy in particular that I really fancied and he was taking law, so I signed up for some law subsidiaries alongside psychology,' she says. Serial killer Dennis Nilsen killed my uncle - and wrecked our family 'I always say that I became a forensic psychologist by accident and under the influence of cheap cider and hormones.' INSIDE 'MONSTER MANSION' While nothing ever came of her crush, Kerry graduated with honours from Sheffield University and in 1996 she was taken on as a voluntary assistant at HMP Wakefield, dubbed 'Monster Mansion'. 'I looked around me and I saw faces that I recognised from the newspapers,' she says. 'I could put the mugshots to the people. 'I was put onto a research project which meant I had to interview every man in the prison who had both raped and murdered a woman in very great detail. 'The whole point of this research project, believe it or not, was that they felt that they might be able to develop a set of guidelines for women who were being raped so that they could minimize the chances of them being murdered. 'It's mind blowing to think about it now.' While Kerry admitted that initially she was out of her depth she quickly became adept at talking to some of Britain's most dangerous criminals. 10 Kerry spent more than two decades analysing some of the UK's most dangerous criminals including Moors Murderer Ian Brady Credit: PA:Press Association 10 She also came face to face with the likes of Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe Credit: Getty 10 Kerry worked closely with Britain's most notorious prisoner Charles Bronson Credit: Alamy 10 She became the victim of a stalker herself as the result of TV appearances Credit: Rex She opened her own private psychology practice in 2003 and worked as a freelance forensic psychologist for over 20 years. Often asked how she was able to cope with the harrowing task of analysing some of the UK's most depraved criminals, Kerry admits she developed a unique coping method. 'I was working in a secure unit and there was one guy that I worked with that was in his 80s who was deemed too unsafe to move anywhere else,' she explains. 'He'd murdered two women in a very sadistic manner and really enjoyed seeing women suffer and nobody warned me about the habit he had for female staff. AN EYEBALL IN MY SOUP 'He had a prosthetic eye and I was sitting having my lunch one day when he came up behind me and he literally flicked his prosthetic eye into my soup. 'So of course I screamed the place down, and gave him the response that he wanted so he continued to do it and I had to find a way of ignoring it. 'Eventually I would just scoop the eyeball out and I would put it to the side of my plate and I would carry on and that stopped him. 'And ever since I have applied that logical and rational approach to my work. 'I still to this day I actually go, 'You know what, Kerry, need to put the eyeball to one side'.' It was this approach that saw Kerry keep her cool while coming face to face with the likes of Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe. But Kerry admits that not all of her encounters were as uneventful as her one with Dennis Nilsen. 'In 2011 I was working at a forensic step-down unit, a little bit like a halfway house for inmates,' she explains. 'In this unit they had access to a kitchen and they didn't have sharp knives, but on this particular occasion, one of the residents was tasked with doing the washing up. 'We'd all had chicken kebabs on skewers and as I walked into the kitchen he ran at me and I thought that he punched me in the stomach. 'It wasn't until I looked down that I realised he'd stabbed me with a kebab skewer. Half of it was sticking out of my stomach and all I could think was, 'I really hope the half that's in me is clean.' It wasn't until I looked down that I realised he'd stabbed me with a kebab skewer Kerry Daynes 'I had a small operation that left me with some problems down the road but I was lucky to get away with only that. 'People did call me Donna for weeks after.' While Kerry has faced some truly abhorrent criminals she admits there is one that still plays on her mind and nearly forced her into early retirement in 2013. THE CASE THAT BROKE ME 'People always say, 'It must be awful talking to psychopathic killers' but it's the cold and callous child sexual abuse that really turned my stomach,' she says. 'It starts to take a toll in a while and you feel as though you're swimming through sewage and it was these cases where I truly struggled to have compassion as a psychologist. 'Around this time I was asked to take part in a documentary about the trial of Mark Bridger, who had murdered April Jones in Mold in Wales which involved me sitting in on the trial. 'That case got to me, it still gets to me, in a way none other had before. 'I think April, for me, represented all of those hundreds of other children who had been abused by the men I had worked with. 'After watching Mark Bridger's performance in court, I had an existential crisis.' 'At that point I felt that I couldn't do my job anymore because I was just really f***ing angry. 10 Kerry says it was Mark Bridger's trial that almost pushed her into early retirement Credit: PA:Press Association 10 Bridger was convicted of the murder of schoolgirl April Jones Credit: PA:Press Association Kerry changed direction and began working exclusively with female offenders. 'Of course they had committed terrible crimes as well but it wasn't an endless stream of child abuse,' she says. 'I really enjoyed working with women.' Kerry also got involved in prevention work, working closely with the Suzy Lampaugh Trust as anti-stalking campaigner, a subject close to her heart after being subjected to a horrific stalking ordeal herself. 'I was asked to go on television as a talking head for a true crime programme and for two years, there was a man stalking me and I wasn't even aware of it,' she says. 'Apparently he'd written to me, something to do with his daughter wanting to go into this field. And I'd written back, as I do. 'Then, for me, just out of the blue, I get a message one day saying that he's set up websites in my name and he wants me to contribute to these websites and perhaps we could do this as a business together. 'I politely declined but he turned nasty very quickly and began posting things on these websites, writing sexual things about me that aren't true and are damaging my career. Who are the UK's worst serial killers? THE UK's most prolific serial killer was actually a doctor. Here's a rundown of the worst offenders in the UK. British GP Harold Shipman is one of the most prolific serial killers in recorded history. He was found guilty of murdering 15 patients in 2000, but the Shipman Inquiry examined his crimes and identified 218 victims, 80 per cent of whom were elderly women. After his death Jonathan Balls was accused of poisoning at least 22 people between 1824 and 1845. Mary Ann Cotton is suspected of murdering up to 21 people, including husbands, lovers and children. She is Britain's most prolific female serial killer. Her crimes were committed between 1852 and 1872, and she was hanged in March 1873. Amelia Sach and Annie Walters became known as the Finchley Baby Farmers after killing at least 20 babies between 1900 and 1902. The pair became the first women to be hanged at Holloway Prison on February 3, 1903. William Burke and William Hare killed 16 people and sold their bodies. Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe was found guilty in 1981 of murdering 13 women and attempting to kill seven others between 1975 and 1980. Dennis Nilsen was caged for life in 1983 after murdering up to 15 men when he picked them up from the streets. He was found guilty of six counts of murder and two counts of attempted murder and was sentenced to life in jail. Fred West was found guilty of killing 12 but it's believed he was responsible for many more deaths. 'He was commenting on what I was wearing and it was evident that he was following me.' In one horrifying incident Kerry says that the man tried to run her over and on another occasion she found that her pet cat had been killed and thrown over her fence. STALKING HELL 'It was ironic that I was working with some of Britain's most dangerous men but it was at home that I felt most unsafe,' she says. 'I've worked with stalkers and I felt that I really understood it but trust me, when you are the victim of a stalker, you get that 360 degree view and I think the impact of it still lives with me today to some extent.' The man received a 12-month harassment notification in 2016. Despite her own terrifying experiences and the appalling cases she has dealt with, the psychologist doesn't view her clients as "monsters". 'I hate to hear them being called monsters,' she says. 'By doing that we're not recognising the people in our society who are capable of doing these awful things, we're somehow separating them from us. I've had men write to me saying, 'I would have killed my wife but I didn't because of you' Kerry Daynes 'They are part of us, a part of our society and I do believe that our society creates them and so I've always thought of them as human beings, though of course very flawed human beings.' While Kerry always worked with 'compassion' for her clients she says it never marred her decision making when it came to whether or not to rehabilitate an offender. 'What I am proudest of is the work that I've done that I believe has kept people safe,' she explains. 'If there's one person out there that could have been a potential victim and hasn't been that's why I do my job. 'I've had men write to me saying, 'I would have killed my wife but I didn't because of you' which is very reassuring I suppose! 'The work that I've done has meant that people that have left secure hospitals and gone on and lived safe and meaningful, productive lives is what I am most proud of.'
Scottish Sun
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Biggest hint yet that Spice Girls will reunite as Geri Halliwell drops huge clue feud with Mel B is over
See what hint Geri dropped that has fans excited spice back Biggest hint yet that Spice Girls will reunite as Geri Halliwell drops huge clue feud with Mel B is over GERI Halliwell-Horner may have just lifted the lid on the news Spice Girls fans have waited for, and that the girl group is reuniting. The pop star took to Instagram to wish her fellow Spice Girl, Melanie Brown, a happy birthday. 4 Geri Haliwell Horner wished Mel B happy birthday with a throwback pic Credit: Instagram 4 The two Spice Girls have reportedly been in an on-off feud for years Credit: Splash News "Happy 50th birthday @officialmelb wishing you a very wonderful year ahead," Geri captioned the post, alongside a vintage photo of the pair in their Spice Girls heyday. Rumors have been circulating for months that the Spice Girls are planning a reunion tour, and Geri's post seems to show the rift between her and Mel B may be healed. The pair have had a tumultuous relationship over the years, including last year when Mel B jokingly wished Geri a "happy 75th birthday," with unflattering photos of her to Instagram. Mel B's post was likely poking fun at rumors that went around during the Spice Girls that Geri had lied abotu her age and was in fact, much older than she'd admitted. Geri was also unhappy with Mel B when the latter revealed the pair had hooked up early in the Spice Girls career. She told Piers Morgan's Life Stories in 2019: 'We were best friends. It just happened. Have you ever done that?' Geri had previously she "didn't like the lesbian thing," on an interview with Howard Stern. Speaking to the US shock jock DJ back in the 90s, Geri decided against naming Mel and simply said her lesbian experience was with "a famous woman". She said: 'I had lesbian sex once. I realised quickly I was not a lesbian. I don't mind boobs but the other bit is not my cup of tea. 'I didn't like the lesbian thing. It is part of experimenting. I was drunk at the time.' Spice Girls set for 2026 global reunion tour – But will Victoria Beckham join? The pair did reunite last year to celebrate their fellow Spice Girl, Victoria Beckham's 50th birthday, where the entire group came together to recreate the iconic dance from their song, Stop. As for a potential Spice Girls reunion, their bandmate, Melanie Chisholm, gave an update on its likelihood. The Sun told earlier this month how they are planning a massive tour in 2026 to celebrate 30 years since debut single Wannabe was released. Mel C revealed certain members have needed more 'convincing' than others, with Victoria Beckham currently not set to take part. She is expected to keep out of it just like she did with their sell-out 2019 reunion tour, but Geri Halliwell-Horner has also needed some persuading, which is why she is meeting with the band's manager Simon Fuller in Miami. Speaking on the No Filter with Kate Langbroek podcast, Mel C said: 'Next year is a big year for us and we have to acknowledge it in some way. 'So we are talking about what that's going to look like and for me, Melanie, I know for sure, and Emma [Bunton], we'd be back on stage. But sometimes other people need a little bit more convincing.' 4 One of the reasons for the rift is allegedly because Mel B revealed her and Geri had slept together Credit: Getty - Contributor 4 Mel B made the confession on Piers Morgan's former interview show Credit: ITV
Scottish Sun
15-05-2025
- Scottish Sun
ISIS brutes shot me after picking off my comrades… I fear terror army's return but wouldn't hesitate fighting them again
FEARLESS BRIT ISIS brutes shot me after picking off my comrades… I fear terror army's return but wouldn't hesitate fighting them again AS a merciless ISIS fighter shot dead two of his squad, Macer Gifford assumed his death was just seconds away. But as a bullet ricocheted off his armour, the former Brit banker's heart pounded as he hurled himself to the ground to take cover. Advertisement 10 Macer Gifford fought with the Kurds against ISIS in Syria from 2014 to 2017 10 The Brit pictured walking through an abandoned house trying to locate a spot to fire his sniper rifle toward ISIS positions in Raqqa Credit: Getty - Contributor 10 ISIS terrorists wield guns in a propaganda video from Syria Credit: Alamy It was one of just hundreds of times the volunteer fighter narrowly cheated death as he battled ISIS in Syria - and later Russia in Ukraine. Rewind to 2014, and Macer had what many would deem an idyllic life. Living in Battersea, central London, the banker-turned-fighter had a girlfriend and was working in the foreign exchange business. As Mosil, the second largest city in Iraq, fell and thousands of Yazidi girls became trapped on Sinjar Mountain before being murdered or sold into sexual slavery, Macer made a life-changing decision. Advertisement Then just 27, he ditched both his job and his girlfriend to travel 3,000 miles to Syria - where a bloody war was raging. Over a traumatic three years, Macer watched friends die, jihadists use babies as human shields and civilians massacred. Speaking as part of Life Stories, The Sun's YouTube series which sees ordinary people share their extraordinary experiences, he said: "I fought ISIS all the way for those three years, from the edges of the desert all the way to the capital city Raqqa. "It was absolutely horrifying to see this absolutely beautiful country with a history that stretches back thousands of years completely ripped apart by sectarianism. Advertisement "A death cult had emerged in Syria that was determined not only to destroy the diversity of the country, but its history, its culture. "The threat ISIS posed at the time was monumental and unprecedented. I waded through bodies in Ukraine's No Man's Land to infiltrate enemy trenches - then Russians found me & unleashed hell "It wasn't just a case of me working for a charity and dealing with the effects of ISIS. "I knew that the real partners on the ground, the Kurds, were the ones who had the answer to defeat ISIS and restore peace in the region." Advertisement The former public schoolboy, who grew up in rural Cambridgeshire, said in the three hellish years he spent in Syria, he was almost killed "a thousand times". Recalling one heart-stopping incident, Macer, 38, said: "I was patrolling in Raqqa at midnight and we came across a man who was calling to us to say his family was trapped in a house across the road. "We had no idea whether that man worked for ISIS, but when my commander and a couple of other guys crossed this road, including myself, we were ambushed by an ISIS fighter with a PK machine gun. "They shot left to right, killing the first two guys in the squad. I was the third, and my plate was struck by a bullet. Advertisement "I flung myself to the ground and crawled off the road to return fire and seek cover. "And that unleashed 24 hours of hell. "I had to run back onto this road where there were a lot of ISIS fighters shooting at us to grab hold of my commander, to drag him to safety. "Sadly, he would die in my arms just hours later." Advertisement 10 Macer fought in Syria for three years but said he'd go back if ISIS returned Credit: Facebook /Macer Gifford 10 A woman shields her baby in Raqqa Credit: EPA 10 Damaged buildings in Raqqa two days after Syrian Democratic Forces ousted ISIS Credit: AP:Associated Press Macer told how dozens of ruthless IS fighters suddenly swarmed their position - with many of his comrades brutally killed. Advertisement Brave Kurds desperately tried to fend off the attack by shooting terrorists one by one as they ran up the stairwells. Macer added: "The U.S. Air Force was on our side and they were able to air strike all the ISIS positions around us, including tunnels where they were emerging just 10 meters away from where we were hiding. "So for 24 hours we fought without water, which was by far the worst thing as far as I'm concerned, because every time the Americans dropped a bomb, it kicked up all the dust, which was absorbed into our lungs. "We were coughing so much. Some of the guys were getting nosebleeds. They were coughing up blood because there was so much. Advertisement "They had drunk nothing for 24 hours and there was so much dust in the air. "And then finally we grabbed the bodies of our comrades, put them in the back of Humvees, jumped in and were able to escape. "But there were moments in time where we were very close to death. "I was scared, particularly when your life is no longer in your hands, that you don't have any chance to seek cover, that you really are just pinned in the open with people shooting at you. Advertisement 10 Fighters of Syrian Democratic Forces ride on an armoured vehicle after Raqqa was liberated from the Islamic State militants in 2017 Credit: Reuters 10 "And there have been many moments where people that I know, good friends of mine, have gone one way and died. I've gone the other way and survived. It is pure luck sometimes. "Much better people than me, men and women, have died because they kicked down the wrong door or they went on a mission that I was asked to sit behind for." Advertisement After relentless fighting in Raqqa - the epicentre of ISIS - for six months, Macer rejoiced as the city was liberated in October 2017. "As I sat there on this rooftop after six months of fighting, I saw them [terrorists] limp out of the hospital, broken and destroyed. "These fanatics, these absurd, psychopathic fanatics were once so full of hate and so full of victory in those early days, thinking they were going to conquer the world. "They were completely deluded. And I saw them for the first time utterly broken, and I realised they were going to flee into the desert. Advertisement "The Americans, the Brits, the Kurdish forces that I'd been fighting alongside would continue to chase them and hunt them down. "But my time in Syria had come to an end, because the sacrifices I was making away from my family, the worry it was causing them, it had to be for a reason. "And after three years, I could no longer see a good enough reason for me personally to be there, so I came home. "Coming to terms with your experiences after seeing such brutality and giving up so much of your life is very difficult." Advertisement Returning back to the UK, Macer settled back in by taking up a Master's in international relations, peacebuilding and security, and writing his first book - Fighting Evil. 10 Macer with his unit near Kherson, Ukraine Credit: Chris Eades 10 Men accused of being affiliated with the Islamic State terror group sit on the floor in a prison in the northeastern Syrian city of Hasakeh Credit: AFP Then in 2022, as Vladimir Putin's forces and tanks massed at the Ukraine border and all-out war loomed, Macer felt the urge to help. Advertisement Days before Russian troops invaded, Macer went to Ukraine to dish out aid - and was on the ground when the first bombs slammed into Ukraine. Macer travelled back to the UK to rally a team of comrades who went back and trained dozens of people in combat casualty. But after witnessing horrific scenes, he felt compelled to pick up his rifle again and joined the 131st Separate Reconnaissance Battalion. Macer fought in the fields between Mykolaiv and Kherson, the islands of Dnipro and the forests of Lyman - and came under severe bombardment. Advertisement Fortunately, he escaped any serious injury. One of Macer's most important roles as part of the 131st was gathering intelligence by risking his life on the frontline, looking for minefields and preparing the way for Ukrainian assaults. But back home Macer's dad was battling Parkinson's and was rushed into hospital, so he decided it was time to head home at the start of start of January 2024. EXCLUSIVE: ISIS plotting wave of terror from camps, warns general who defeated cult By Henry Holloway, Deputy Foreign Editor ISIS could unleash a new wave of terror by springing fighters from camps like the one holding Shamima Begum, a top general who helped defeat the death cult has revealed. General Mazloum Abdi, who leads the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) - a Kurdish-led US-backed militia, sounded the alarm over the resurgent terror group. Speaking to The Sun in an interview with documentarian and ex-soldier Alan Duncan, Abdi said there are currently 10,000 male fighters in prisons ready to bring devastation back to the Middle East. General Abdi revealed SDF believe that ISIS forces - which were bravely driven back by his troops - are currently organising a prisonbreak of fighters still held in Syria. He also warned the threat of ISIS continues in the West. General Abdi said: "The threat of jihadist groups - not just ISIS - will exist until the fundamentals they were founded on are destroyed. "We must continue our struggle." He also called on the West to do more to bring these fighters to justice - and to support trials and convictions for the atrocities they committed in the Middle East. General Abdi told The Sun: "The threat of ISIS in detention centres and camps is increasing and there is an increase in the movement of ISIS in general. "There is a need to intensify efforts to continue to fight against ISIS if we don't want to see a resurgence." READ MORE HERE Macer said: "I rushed back to see my father and sadly on my birthday, 20 days later, on January 21 he died. Advertisement "And it gave me a new perspective on life. It made me realise that I'd gone out to Ukraine with a purpose. I'd fought. I'd raised money. I'd built infrastructure. "If you go out without a plan to a war zone, you will lose yourself. And I didn't want to lose myself. I wanted to go out, complete my mission, come home and move on. And that's exactly what I've done." Macer said his life now revolves around writing, his family and fundraising. Last year he raised around £75,000 that went out to units in Ukraine. Despite everything he's been through, Macer revealed he would be prepared to return to the battlefield if ISIS "rose up tomorrow". Advertisement And Macer warned this is a very real possibility. The return of ISIS could be devastating. There are 70,000 prisoners that are just as fanatical today as they were when they were first captured. "I fear a resurgence from the Islamic State," he said. "I have watched Syria over the last seven, eight years, since I was last there, with growing horror as Britain has played second fiddle to the Americans. "The Americans have taken their eye off the ball, have taken resources out of Syria and Iraq. Advertisement "My biggest fear is that unless we give people in Syria something to fight for and to dream for, ISIS will simply return. "The return of ISIS could be devastating. There are 70,000 prisoners that are just as fanatical today as they were when they were first captured. "There are people who have committed the most appalling human rights abuses. They have committed genocide." Macer added: "This death cult is something that won't just go away unless we start dealing with the root causes of it. Advertisement "If they were to break out of those prisons, it could grow as quickly as it did in 2014 when I first went out. "So we could be at square one literally within a year. I would definitely go out and fight again. "If the IS rose up tomorrow and became a threat to the Zidi, Christian, and Kurdish communities, the Arab communities of Syria, Iraq, it would take very little for me to go out there again, pick up a rifle, work with the local people and fight back."
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Aeon Media Relaunches Psyche.co, Further Elevating the Standard for Psychology and Wellbeing Content Online
Sleek new design and innovative content types aim to deepen user experience and cut through the noise of today's psychology and mental health landscape LONDON, May 12, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Aeon Media's unique and free digital magazine for thoughtful exploration of psychology and the human experience, is excited to announce the relaunch of its website on 12 May 2025. Amid a landscape saturated with hype, misinformation, and algorithm-driven advice, Psyche aims to be a wise, trustworthy companion for anyone navigating the complexities of life. The platform offers rich, multidisciplinary perspectives and advice from psychologists, philosophers, artists, anthropologists and more – all in service of helping readers know themselves and live well. Launched in 2020, Psyche remains one of the few digital publications to offer completely free, zero advertising, expert-led content in the wellbeing space. The relaunch brings not only a fresh visual identity but also new content formats and intuitive site architecture, creating a more engaging and immersive user experience. Key updates include: Website redesign – refined and immersiveThe new look is streamlined and elegant, offering a sleek and focused reading environment across devices. It reflects Psyche's commitment to thoughtfulness, clarity, and accessibility. New content formats – Life StoriesOne of the powerful additions to the Psyche experience, Life Stories features deeply personal essays, intimate profiles, and beautifully produced portrait videos that highlight the resilience and insight of remarkable individuals. Building on success – Psyche's signature GuidesWe have expanded and enhanced this popular content type to further support readers to live well, learn practical skills and change habits. New site sections – Heal, Transcend, Connect, UnderstandTo make exploration more intuitive, Psyche has reorganised its library into four thematic pillars, helping users discover content aligned with their interests and needs. Psyche achievements: Since launching, Psyche has grown a large, global audience and engaged following Psyche content is regularly picked-up and endorsed by professional bodies and industry press, including The American Psychological Association, The British Psychological Society and Behavioral Scientist. Frequently praised and shared by many respected figures in psychology, psychiatry and related disciplines, many of whom have also contributed to the magazine 'With this relaunch, we remain committed to our overarching mission to bring expert insights, advice and perspectives to people who are facing psychological difficulties or who simply want a wise companion on their path through life,' says Dr Christian Jarrett, Psyche's Editor. 'We understand that with so much misinformation and bad science online, including ubiquitous computer-generated summaries, it can be difficult to know who or what to trust. We work carefully with human experts, clinicians and scholars, to bring you their genuine lived knowledge and wisdom. As a non-profit, we are also in a fortunate position. Without the need to sensationalise or resort to hype, we can prioritise quality and trustworthiness in everything we publish.' The reimagined Psyche website will launch on 12 May, and visitors can explore at About PsycheLaunched in 2020, Psyche is a digital magazine to help you understand yourself and live well. Every Psyche article is commissioned, edited and queried multiple times by our specialist psychology, philosophy and social science editors. We also carefully vet our writers, who include clinical psychologists, psychologist-researchers, teachers, doctors, philosophers and anthropologists. Psyche is published by Aeon Media. [Media assets available on request] CONTACT: For media inquiries, interviews, or collaborations, please contact: Media Contact: Lauren Macnab (Head of Marketing and Communications) Company Name: Aeon Media Website: Email Address: in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Scottish Sun
01-05-2025
- Scottish Sun
I was jailed at 14, then a mobster with sawn off shotguns – I loved the buzz but prison with Charles Bronson changed me
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) WITH the loaded gun pointing in his face, Stephen Gillen barely flinches. Rather than begging for his life, Stephen, then in his 20s, simply eggs his assailant on knowing it's all part of the job. 10 Stephen Gillen operated in the underworld of London's East End in his early 20s Credit: Supplied 10 The former gangster was involved in organised crime for 28 years Credit: Lorna Roach 10 Stephen grew up in Belfast during the Troubles and witnessed his first murder aged seven Credit: Supplied From the age of 14, he was embroiled in crime becoming a member of an infamous East End gang before landing himself a 17-year prison sentence in a high-security unit, serving alongside the likes of Charles Bronson. Armed with a sawn-off shotgun, Stephen admits that despite being faced with daily death threats, he often chased the 'thrill' of danger. But the reformed mobster has now put his violent past behind him, having earned himself an International Peace Prize nomination thanks to his work mentoring youths going down the wrong path. 'My life was about the pursuit of power, wealth and money,' he says. 'In that environment, you will do whatever you need to do to reach your goals and that's a very destructive way to go through life.' Born in London in 1971, Stephen was just six months old when he was moved to Belfast to live with his catholic aunt, whom he refers to as his surrogate mother. It was during the height of the Troubles, with riots happening on his doorstep, that Stephen found himself exposed to extreme violence at a young age. Speaking as part of Life Stories, The Sun's new YouTube series that sees ordinary people share their extraordinary experiences, he says: 'I was about seven years old and I had gone to the corner shop to get some bread. 'And all of a sudden a riot just erupted. Armoured cars were on the streets, petrol bombs were being thrown and the riot police had shown up, it happened in moments. 'I got trapped in the melee and then the shooting started, I was right in the centre of the killing zone, and like everyone else I began running for my life. Ex-mobster Stephen Gillen on life as a gangland enforcer and being set up to be killed by former associates 'I hid in this hedge, and I looked to my right and could see a pair of Dr Marten boots no more than 6ft from me, he was obviously IRA of the time. 'He took a couple of shots before he was wiped clean off his feet. He was no more than two metres from me and I watched as the blood came pouring out of his mouth. 'I was rooted to the spot and I watched this man die, crying for his mum. 'I had seen a lot of violence but this felt very personal to me because of how close I was, that event shadowed the world for me.' Two years later, Stephen was faced with more turbulence as his surrogate mother died after a short battle with cancer and he was sent back to London at the age of nine. TROUBLED UPBRINGING After initially moving back in with his maternal mother, Stephen ended up moving from various foster homes and quickly found himself falling in with the wrong crowd. He explains: 'I seemed to get in trouble a lot, I felt like everything I loved I lost, so I was very, very angry and I think that really set me on my journey. 'The homes were so bad that we'd often run away to get away from them and that would mean we would have to break into places to sleep. 'We would take things from shops, it was just petty crime but we would be arrested to be brought back to the homes.' 10 Stephen was exposed to the violence of Belfast's streets during the Troubles Credit: Getty 10 During his years as a gangster he operated in the underworld of London's East End Credit: Alamy 10 London twins Ronnie (right) and Reggie Kray were among the most famous gangsters of the East End Credit: Hulton Archive - Getty FIRST TIME INSIDE Stephen was first behind bars at the age of 14 after getting caught in a knife fight and was convicted of GBH and sent to a detention centre. 'It was like a military camp and it was very violent, a lot of nasty fights went on in there,' he says. 'It was a fertile breeding ground for some of Britain's most notorious gangsters including cop killer Gary Nelson, and of course it led me down the same path.' After three months in the detention centre, Stephen was released but immediately found himself back in the world of organised crime. 'The lifestyle is very beguiling and attractive in a strange way,' he admits. 'The money, the glitter, the power, the influence, you know, you're like an outlaw, you're different, you're unique. You're not the same as everyone else. 'There's a unique feeling of being part of a group within that, a brotherhood, and that was something that I was really missing from my life.' I've had guns pointed at me, I've been shot at but it was just my reality Stephen Gillen Stephen says he found himself doing the 'donkey work' for East End gangs, which consisted of carrying guns, keeping look out and delivering packages as well as 'some violence'. As the years passed, Stephen made his way up the ranks, graduating to extortion, counterfeiting and armed robbery. 'I loved it, but I didn't know anything else,' he says. 'My life architecture and everything I had been through had been violence, and being surrounded by very tough, violent characters who had been through the same and said this was the way out - I believed them.' A LIFE ESCAPING DEATH Acting as part of a criminal gang meant that Stephen often found himself in potentially fatal scenarios, with the former mobster estimating he escaped death more than 100 times. 'My life had become so dark that I was often chasing the thrill of that danger,' Stephen says. "You'd be waiting for the police to arrest you or even shoot you if you were unlucky. 'You'd fall out with other people and other firms and you'd have to watch yourself because it'd be who catches who first. 'For example, I was in a club in East London one night, and someone spilled a drink over me and so I left much sooner than expected. 10 Stephen estimates he's escaped death more than 100 times Credit: Lorna Roach 10 Stephen was cellmates with Charles Bronson during his time at Brixton prison Credit: Alamy 'I knew the bouncers at this place and they told me that 15 minutes later a group of armed men in balaclavas had shown up looking for me. 'It was crazy because although it was like being in hell, I was so entrenched in that lifestyle, I really didn't care and there were times I would buzz on it. 'I've had guns pointed at me, I've been shot at but it was just my reality.' Stephen's 28 years of crime would see him mastermind Securitas bank van heists and take on rivals in blood covered street fights. He would later watch as criminal pals got taken out one by one by cops as his world slowly caved in on him. LUCK RAN OUT It was at the age of 22 that Stephen's luck finally ran out after a botched armed robbery and firearms offences saw Scotland Yard's elite Flying Squad foil his plot to rob a bank in the capital's East End. During the ambush, he had fired two shots from a sawn-off shotgun - which Stephen says happened accidentally as he wrestled with a police officer. Fortunately, no one was injured. He was sentenced to 17 years in prison at the Old Bailey. Stephen was moved 25 times but it was during his time in Brixton Prison's Special Security Unit - a "prison within a prison"- that he bonded with notorious lag Charles Bronson. The crimes of Charles Bronson By Kieran Davies CHARLES Bronson has served 50 years in prison - but why has he been kept behind bars for so many years? The crook - real name Michael Peterson - was first sentenced to seven years in jail after being convicted of armed robbery in 1974 - which was extended by nine months after he attacked a fellow prisoner with a glass jug. He later attempted to strangle Gordon Robinson while at Broadmoor, before causing £250,000 worth of damage when he staged a three-day protest on a rooftop. The serial criminal was eventually released in 1987 - it was then he changed his name to Charles Bronson on the advice of his bare-knuckle boxing promoter. But it was not long before he was back in jail after robbing a jewellery shop in 1988 and being sentenced to seven more years inside. Bronson was released early from his sentence in 1992 - but was back behind bars 53 days later for intent to commit robbery. After holding three men hostage in his cell, the Luton lad saw another seven years added to his sentence - although this was cut to five on appeal. Following further incidents, he was finally given a life sentence after kidnapping prison teacher Phil Danielson in 1999, causing destruction to the prison. After being held at a number of prisons across the country - including Belmarsh - he returned to HM Prison Woodhill in 2018, where Bronson is still incarcerated. Locked up in neighbouring cells, the Category A convicts became firm friends. 'If he liked you, you could have no better friend,' Stephen says. 'Of course, he could switch and you wouldn't want to be on the wrong side of him, but he was very kind and that man would give you his last pound.' Caged for 23 hours a day in solitary confinement, the pair only saw each other's faces fleetingly - mostly through their cell windows when the other was in the yard, or through the cracks in their doors. 'Like me he had old school values and he was a great conversationalist, really funny,' Stephen says. 'He would keep me entertained for hours with his tales of Broadmoor.' Stephen was released in 2003 after serving 11 years and nine months and has turned his back on crime ever since. 'Initially I took on a lot of volunteer work, I needed to get my humanity back,' Stephen says. 'I was also lucky because my family had a building company and I didn't get any favors and was given the tough love treatment and put right at the bottom. 'I started as a £70 a day labourer and I built myself back up from there.' I've learnt that life doesn't give us what we want, it gives us what we become Stephen Gillen Two decades on and Stephen has gone on to become a successful author and TV personality. He promotes peace and wants to tell his story in order to stop others from going down the path he did. His website promotes the Resilience Code, which encourages people to overcome adversity and difficulties in their life in order to achieve success. He has written a bestselling book, Extraordinary: Stephen Gillen The Search For A Life Worth Living, and is now working with Netflix on a documentary about his life. He is an International Peace Prize Nominee for his work in preventing violence and was even flown to New York to meet with the secretary-general of the United Nations. 'The metamorphosis really is complete with me,' Stephen, who is engaged to GB News' Nana Akua, says. 'It's been a very profound but painful journey, it's shown me that really, despite the years I spent playing that role as best as I could, I was never that person which is evident in what I have gone on to do. 'I've learnt that life doesn't give us what we want, it gives us what we become. 'After all, I've never liked violence anyway.' Extraordinary: Stephen Gillen The Search For A Life Worth Living is available to buy on Amazon 10 Stephen is now a susccessful businessman and author Credit: Lorna Roach
