BOBBY Cummines built a brutal reputation in 1970s London.
But it was a reputation he later decided he wanted to change.
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Who is Bobby Cummines?
Robert "Bobby" Cummines is an English former gang leader, protection racketeer, armed robber, and criminal enforcer who turned his life around.
Born in Islington, London on November 23, 1951, Cummines was the youngest of eight children.
Growing up in a law-abiding family in King’s Cross, Bobby left school at 16 with no qualifications.
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But with a recently acquired job in a shipping office and the prospect of a career in Customs & Excise ahead of him, Bobby’s life took a turn for the worse upon his first serious encounter with the police.
Recalling the encounter, Cummines said: “I was in a park with my mates when somebody let off a starting pistol.
"The police were called and began bullying these younger kids.
''They were aggressive and shouldn’t have been talking to these kids without an adult present, so I stood up to them. The police left and returned soon after.
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''They pointed to a cut-throat razor that was on the ground and claimed it was mine that I had took it out of my pocket and threw it on the floor. It was a fit-up.
"My dad was a straight-goer and thought the police were like Dixon of Dock Green.
''He said the police would never plant evidence.
"He told me to plead guilty and that I’dget a fine and it’ll be forgotten about in a few years.”
And Cummines did just that, however his bosses at the shipping office found out about the case and sacked him as a result.
Angry and unemployable, Cummines decided to begin a criminal career - and quickly became Britain's youngest armed robber.
Within a year he was in the Old Bailey charged with possession of a shotgun and armed robbery, and was sent to a Detention Centre.
After his release, he then went on to become a gangland leader of criminal enforcers, extortionistsandracketeersknown as "The Chaps", employing extreme violence in 1970sthroughout North London.
Cummines claims he was taught to dehumanise anyone he killed.
Despite being described as a gangster, Cummines has refused to accept the label, saying he never considered himself one.
Instead, he states he was a "businessman whose business was crime".
He changed his direction in life during his last stint inside.
He was chief executive ofUnlock, The National Association of Reformed Offenders,from April 1999 until March 2012, and was awarded and OBE by the late Queen in 2011.
Why did Bobby Cummines get sent to prison?
Cummines was sent to prison when an arms dealer informed the authorities about almost everything he and his gang had done.
Within the first few months inside he took thegovernorhostage for being "unreasonable".
This led authorities to designate him as a class "A" prisoner, resulting in him being frequently moved from one prison to another.
How long did Bobby Cummines spend in prison?
Throughout his career as a committed and violent criminal, Cummines found himself behind bars on a number of occasions, serving 13 years.
After being sentenced to a Detention Centre at just 16, he served five years of a seven and a half year sentence for manslaughter.
He was found not guilty of murder after the man he tied up during an armed robbery choked to death.
He was finally released from prison in 1987 and made a fresh start with his wife and daughter.
Why did Bobby Cummines get awarded an OBE?
While serving his sentence in Parkhurst Prison, met notorious criminal Charlie Richardson - who ended up having a huge impact on his life, ultimately sending him on the road to redemption.
Richardson encouraged Cummines to get into education and start reading.
Cummines then studied for a degree with theOpen Universitywhile in prison.
Upon leaving prison, Cummines joined Mark Leach, the founder ofUnlock,the National Association of Reformed Offenders - providing practical support and advice and developed a particular expertise in tackling the financial exclusion of ex-offenders.
He then become CEO when Mark stood down.
Unlockbecame a powerful force in the rehabilitation of offenders, and in 2011 Unlockwon The Guardian’sCharity of the Year Award.
Cummines was awarded an OBE by Queen Elizabeth II that same year, in June 2011, in recognition of his services to reformed offenders.
What does Bobby Cummines do now?
Cummines is nowa respected anti-crime campaignerwhose charities have helped rehabilitate hundreds of ex-offenders.
He has also written his autobiography which was published in 2015 - detailing his life of crime and how he found the road to redemption.
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What is Bobby Cummines' net worth?
Bobby Cummines income mostly comes from being a successful British businessman.
His net worth is reported at approximately£1.5million to £5million.
