Lived Experienced Speaker Page
The Prison Officer & The Gangster
A powerful lived-experience talk on crime, custody, change, and the power of
human relationships
The Prison Officer & The Gangster is a compelling, honest and transformative 1 – 2 hour talk from Bingy, once described by the courts and police as being a leader of a Jamaican criminal organised gang. Bingy is grounded in over 30 years of lived experience within the criminal justice system, talks openly about his serious offending, rehabilitation, employment, and now a leader in trying to help reducing re-offending. Between 1992 and 2022, Bingy was deeply involved in high level criminal activity. During this time, he received three long-term prison sentences for serious offences related to violence, weapons and drug supply and spent a total of 18 years in custody. This is not a story of quick fixes or instant change, it is a real account of mindset, identity, consequences, and how meaningful human relationships can challenge the old prison code of “us (prisoners) and them (prison officers).” At the heart of this talk is the interaction with a prison officer, a relationship that disrupted everything Bingy believed about authority, trust, and himself. That experience became a turning point, helping Bingy move away from entrenched criminal thinking towards accountability, growth, and long-term change.
1. What the talk covers
• Early childhood experiences and the foundations of criminal behaviour
• Bingy’s first offence and first experience of prison
• Escalation into serious offending and his first long-term sentence at age 28
• Social Indicators that can influence criminal behaviour
• The cumulative impact of repeated custody
• His third and final prison sentence received in 2017
• The prison officer relationship that challenged the “prisoners vs officers” mindset
• Release in 2022 with a completely transformed outlook on life and decision-making
• Transition from custody to employment, purpose, and responsibility
• Lessons around choice, consequences, trust, power, and change
2. Who this talk is for
This talk is suitable for delivery within:
• Prisons and probation services
• Schools, colleges, and universities
• Police and criminal justice forums
• Youth justice, safeguarding, and social care teams
• Staff training and development days
• Community, voluntary, and third-sector organisations
3. Format
• 60-120 minute talk
• Optional Q&A session immediately afterwards
• Adapted to suit the audience, setting, and purpose
• Delivered in an engaging, honest, and reflective style
4. Why this talk matters
This is not theory.
It is not a lecture.
It is real lived experience, told with responsibility and purpose. The Rude Bwoy and the Prison Officer demonstrates how one relationship, handled differently, can change thinking, behaviour, and futures- on both sides of the door.
Can A Leopard Change Its Spots?
"Can A Leopard Change Its Spots?" is a powerful and thought-provoking motivational talk that challenges the common belief that people cannot change.
Using lived experience and real-life examples, this talk explores how phrases such as "a leopard can't change its spots" are often unfairly used to suggest that offenders will always remain offenders. While a leopard cannot change its spots, people have the ability to change their mindset, behaviour, attitudes, and the direction of their lives.
Designed to inspire hope, personal responsibility, and self-belief, this talk encourages individuals to look beyond labels, past mistakes, and the doubts of others. It demonstrates that meaningful change is possible for anyone who is willing to commit to it, regardless of their history or what others may think.
The message is simple: your past does not have to define your future, and positive change is always possible.
Happiness Forgets What Loneliness Remembers
Happiness Forgets What Loneliness Remembers is a powerful and thought-provoking talk designed to challenge offenders to reflect on the decisions that led them into the criminal justice system and inspire positive change for the future.
Built around the powerful phrase, "Happiness Forgets What Loneliness Remembers," the talk explores how people often become consumed by the rewards of crime—money, status, designer clothes, expensive cars, and the lifestyle that comes with them—while failing to consider the consequences that may follow.
Drawing on real-life experiences and psychological insight, the talk examines the journey from freedom to arrest, from the back of a police car to a prison cell, and the profound emotional impact that follows. It highlights how, when the distractions of everyday life are removed, loneliness forces us to reflect on the things we once took for granted: family, children, relationships, freedom, opportunities, and life's most important moments.
The message is simple but powerful: every action has a reaction, and every decision has consequences.
Our aim is not to judge or condemn, but to encourage honest self-reflection, personal responsibility, and hope. By helping offenders understand the true cost of their choices, we seek to motivate them to make better decisions, rebuild relationships, and create a more positive future for themselves, their families, and their communities.
Because sometimes it is only in our loneliest moments that we truly remember what matters most.
This talk also explains psychological thinking that drives a person and why this Phrase Is Psychologically Powerful.
The reason the phrase works so well is because it reflects two different psychological states.
Happiness Says:
- Enjoy today.
- Think about the reward.
- Focus on what you gain.
- The future can wait.
Loneliness Says:
- Think about what you've lost.
- Think about who misses you.
- Think about the consequences.
- Think about what really matters.
One state looks forward to pleasure.
The other looks back at decisions.
One focuses on gain.
The other focuses on loss.
And psychologically, loss is often felt more intensely than gain.
That is why sitting alone in a prison cell can feel emotionally overwhelming.
The mind is no longer counting what it has.
It is counting what it has lost.
Happiness Forgets What Loneliness Remembers — a message about consequences, reflection, responsibility, and change.