Out of the Box - The Story of Leroy Smith

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Besides, the resentment James felt about the whole affair was not confined to Leroy, he was also disappointed by the way leaders at that time had handled things. Mr Smith, then 25, was jailed for two years for that escape, 18 years for a firearms offence, and five years for robbery. He was given a 25-year sentence for attempting to murder PC Seymour and 18 years for wounding PC Carroll in the same incident. The media headlines that we read about Muslims in prisons may focus on radicalisation but Smith says that if anyone is to blame for that it is the politicians and authorities who drive people into that state.

Leroy Smith is a writer, mentor and motivational public speaker who directs his talks at young people who might be heading down the wrong path in life. He has given talks describing his experiences at City University London, numerous schools, colleges and youth centres around the country. In 1977, after follow-up singles enjoyed success in the clubs but failed to top the charts, the band took part in a Song For Europe in a bid to represent the UK in the Eurovision Song Contest. The song came eighth and shortly after that the band was dropped by its label and split. At the age of two his mother was murdered and he grew up in a deprived Brixton council estate where he gradually drifted into a life of crime. It was the kind of place where everyone was obsessed about getting money because nobody had any, apart from the drug dealers and other criminals. I can stand in front of kids and tell them I learned the hard way. I have been through all these different situations, all these different scenarios, and it has taken its toll.

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It is also not a book with an entirely happy ending, because life is much more complicated than that. Yes, Smith is now on the straight and narrow. Yes, he’s doing his best to atone for his sins and pass his life lessons onto younger generations. But his past has not necessarily been forgotten or forgiven, even by those closest to him.

Leroy fired another shot which hit me about a centimetre away from my spine, ripped across the top of my kidney and ripped out the side of me,” he said. For the man on the other side of the gun, PC James Seymour, the overriding memory is the feeling of helplessness. His then partner agreed, she supported him financially for the year it took to write the book and helped him with parts of the text. Since his release in 2014, Mr Smith has been invited to speak at Oxford University and done several TV and radio appearances. Jamaica-born Leroy, who lived alone, had not been seen for about a month and a friend alerted police. They forced entry to the flat where they found Leroy's body upright in a chair. He died from natural causes brought on by broncho-pneumonia.I feel like I have put closure on the whole incident and it makes me feel proud that me and Leroy have helped people to stay on the straightened narrow and have second thoughts about getting involved in crime,” he added. Retired from policing He was well-liked in the neighbourhood, everybody knew him. It's a shame he was on his own when he died." It had never been Leroy's intention to kill James - otherwise he would have aimed at his head, he points out. Leroy Smith and James Seymour, the police officer he shot in 1993, are now friends (Image: Facundo Arrizabalaga/MyLondon) The average person is nice and people are cool with you. I know people in Handsworth and other places. I knew Burgers, Johnnies in prison got on with all of them.