Simon Pinchbeck was amazed by the 'peace' of ex-hooligan, who invited him to church,,,
A one-time copper-turned-criminal has told how meeting a former football hooligan led him to faith and restoration.
Simon Pinchbeck said encountering the former thug led him from crime, addiction and broken relationships to faith and a reunited family.
In his Met Police career in the 1970s, eighties and nineties, Simon enjoyed the thrill of the chase.
“I did a lot of plain clothes work and football duty. I had a huge moustache and was known as The Walrus,” he says.
Simon patrolled London soccer clubs with the Territorial Support Group, working alongside the Central London Football Intelligence Unit to monitor hooligans and control violent fights.
But the work wreaked havoc on his family life.
“I joined a younger set of plain-clothes guys and we worked together and went to pubs and clubs after work.
“I started experimenting with steroids and having one-night stands. I ended up leaving my wife Linda when her mother had terminal cancer.”
Then Simon’s work fell apart. In a nightclub he hit an off-duty police officer. On a serious assault charge, prison looked likely.
Simon was found not guilty, but his 24-year police career was over. He sought refuge in the gym.
“There was a group of guys there who had pretty women, nice cars and money. I knew they were into criminality but I wanted that easy life so I started training with them.”
HUNGRY FOR REVENGE
Thrilled to have an ex-copper on board, debt collection jobs, fast cash and flash cars flowed, but the gang soon conspired to rip Simon off, leaving him broke and hungry for revenge.
“I was in the lowest pit. One more step and I was either going to end up with a very heavy prison sentence or in a shallow grave.”
Then God threw him a lifeline. In the gym, Simon spotted a soccer hooligan he had once chased around Arsenal but who had become a Christian.
“He was a nasty piece of work, very violent, but he had turned his life around through his faith.”
Simon was transfixed by the peace surrounding the man and asked him about it. They got talking and Simon was invited to Holy Trinity Brompton. There, in 2002, he became a Christian.
Simon turned his back on his old life and joined an Alpha course.
“I learned I should be sorry for the things I’d done wrong, but that there was forgiveness. Not only that, there was a God in heaven wanting to know me.”
Simon was reunited with his wife and freed from his addictions. He went on to lead Alpha courses and share his story around the world and has been thrilled to see God free his sons from drug addiction too.
He is convinced his story is proof of the existence of God.
“If there’s a God who can change me, break the addiction of my two boys, bring me and my wife back together, change a violent man and bring two violent men together, he’s got to be real, hasn’t he?”
