Profile
By Josephine Hocking
Bobby Cummines is chief executive of charity Unlock, the national association of ex-offenders.
| Cummines: No regrets |
Career highlight: Being appointed specialist adviser to the judge on the public inquiry into the murder of Zahid Mubarek at Feltham Young Offender Institution. Also being adviser to home affairs select committee on rehabilitation of prisoners.
Career low point: Reading statistics on deaths in prison.
Best training: Time in prison.
I didn't get where I am today by: Listening to those who said it couldn't be done.
I wish I had: More government support.
Over the course of my career I wish I hadn't: I have no regrets.
I applied for my current job because: I wanted to fight for my people’s rights and dignity.
Best move I’ve made: Getting insurance and mortgage services for our members, which can be difficult for ex-offenders to find.
Most inspiring influence: Sir David Ramsbotham, former chief inspector of prisons and president of Unlock.
Most painful lesson I’ve learnt at work: All that is needed to be achieved will not happen in my lifetime, no matter how hard I work.
Me and my career:
At the age of 16 I was convicted and sent to prison for possession of a sawn-off shotgun. I then spent 13 of the next 20 years in prison for various serious offences, including manslaughter and bank robbery and at one time was classed as one of Britain’s most dangerous men.
