After starting work as a teenage nightclub doorman, he quickly found himself embroiled in a sinister world of violence and drug dealing.
Following too many near-misses within the organised crime community in his home city of Liverpool, as well as within the criminal justice system, Stuart finally decided enough was enough.
“My mental health was rock bottom and I was having suicidal thoughts,” he recalls.
“One day I remember drawing a line in the sand; my life was so dark and empty, I had to start making better choices.”
Stuart set about studying to become a social worker – a goal he achieved – and spent the next few years becoming experienced in social care and mental health.
He also met a Sheffield woman and fell in love, moving to the city and getting involved with the City Hearts charity she worked for.
It was while working with City Hearts – which helps with people with life-controlling issues – and supporting three men who all had long histories of offending, that Stuart began to see a pattern.
“Two of the men I was working with stopped using drugs and one got a job after 10 years unemployment: a huge success which came to the attention of Metropolitan Police officer Pete Spratt,” says Stuart.
“I had sent some introductory emails out to senior police officers about what we were doing, and began discussing gaps in existing statutory approaches, with the Integrated Offender Management Team, to help people avoid reoffending.
“We looked at all the pathways that lead to offending – benefits, debt, housing, employment, and substance misuse.
“Detective Spratt and I started working with two difficult offender cases initially. With these new techniques, we broke down barriers and saw good results working with them.
“Neither has reoffended to this day – both have jobs, one has a mortgage.
“Spurred on by this success, we joined forces with a probation officer who had an idea to start an employability programme to help ex-offenders gain work – a key part of changing cycles of offending.
“We approached an education training provider who had good links with sympathetic employers and this proved to be the missing link.
“Within days, the Forging Ahead programme was born.”
Sheffield Forging Ahead launched two years ago this month, providing pathways to permanent employment for individuals seeking a life away from crime.
Stuart explains: “Forging Ahead combines the passions of individuals from within the criminal justice and charitable sectors.
“Together, our aim is to create opportunities of employment for individuals with a history of offending behaviour – our logo was even designed by a former offender who studied graphic design in prison!
“We designed the now award-winning integrated offender management programme in three weeks, based…
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