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Turning his back on a life of crime
Reformed burglar Daniel Cowperthwaite wants to encourage youngsters not to follow in his footsteps
A former burglar and heroin addict who hopes who to find a job steering children from a life of crime is educating their parents about home security.
Daniel Cowperthwaite, 33, of Adelaide Square, Bedford, has spent 11-and-a-half years out of the past 16 in prison after becoming a heroin addict. He has been locked up in 18 different prisons across the country.
But now Daniel has turned his life around and is taking part in an innovative project to teach people the importance of protecting their homes from thieves.
Daniel, who played football for Ipswich Town, Bedford Town, Luton Town and Cambridge United, became hooked on heroin after a double knee injury scuppered his dreams of professional football stardom.
He said: "All I had done since I left school was play football and I got very depressed. I started going round the pubs and drinking, and one day I met a man who asked me if I would like to go back to his house to smoke what I thought was cannabis.
"It became a regular thing but one day we didn't meet up and I became really ill.
"The man said I had been smoking heroin. I was addicted and he suggested we started doing burglaries.
After a while I was arrested and sent to prison. There is nothing forward looking about spending time inside and it strips you of everything."
But Daniel's life was transformed when he met his partner Sarah.
He said: "When I got out of prison I went to live with her and the positive environment has given me the foundations to build from.
"I have appeared in this newspaper so many times for being sent to prison, I promised my nan and grandad that before they pass away they will see me in here for doing something positive, helping others."
Daniel will be speaking at 18 Neighbourhood Watch events across Bedford Borough in the coming months, which have been organised by Councillor Colleen Atkins. The first event takes place at The Sharnbrook Hotel on Monday, September 6
Entitled Meet The Burglar the sessions will focus on how people can make their homes safer, signs that make homes attractive to burglars and what items burglars are likely to steal.
For more information call Colleen Atkins on 01234 355773
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Friday 25 May 2012
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