BEST-SELLER author and former hard-man John Pridmore visited an Accrington high school to talk about how his life of crime landed him in prison.

The international speaker, who wrote ‘From Gangland to Promised Land’, told students from Mount Carmel Roman Catholic High School how fighting in prison saw him placed in solitary confinement, and said the experience made him “angry and bitter”.

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The former East End enforcer made his appearance at the school to urge youngsters not to follow in his footsteps and land themselves in trouble with the law.

Headteacher Xavier Bowers said the message given to the children was also that “in today’s secular world, money doesn’t always bring you happiness”.

He said: “I saw John speak about six years ago when I was deputy head in Lancaster and he was on the circuit, going round Catholic schools in the area.

“Every year, I look to bring in an inspirational speaker to teach the children about their life story and to inspire them.

“I had heard John’s story and how he transformed his life for the better as a result of finding God.

“Being a Catholic school, that’s a strong message for us and it’s better for the children to hear it from John than their usual teachers.”

He added: “It was to give them hope. It shows they can overcome barriers to achieve in life. John handed out a set of rosary beads and a prayer card to every child and there was a real buzz around the school for two or three days after.

“Lots of the students have made contact with John through his website to say how much they enjoyed listening to him.”

After his release from prison, John began mixing and working with people in the East End of London who instigated most of the organised crime in London.

John told explained to the youngsters he thought he had everything – money, power, girls, and drugs – but he felt something was missing.

His criminal lifestyle came to a head when he thought he had killed someone outside a nightclub.

The reformed ‘enforcer’ turned devout Catholic has previously spoken of how it was when he beat the man so violently that God spoke to him.

He told a national newspaper: “I was sitting in my chair thinking about that man when it happened.

“I suddenly became aware of a voice speaking to me and I knew that it was real and that it was God.

“I fell to my knees and prayed for the first time and it felt incredible.

“I’ve taken every drug there is but the feeling I had that night was the best I have ever felt.”