A shame-faced thug who terrorised his home town stunned his terrified victims today by writing them a three page apology letter from his prison cell.
Yob Ben Gregory, 20, committed more than 80 offences including around ten this year before magistrates finally lost patience and jailed him for nine weeks.
In a letter sent to his local paper, the Weston & Somerset Mercury, Gregory apologised for his crimes and pledged to mend his ways when he is release next month.
He admitted he believed he was ”untouchable” and had a ”right” to terrorise local residents on the Bournville estate in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset.
Gregory wrote: ”I would be very grateful if you could print an apology for me for all my crimes that anyone has suffered from and if anyone has ever feared of my behaviour I’m sorry.
”I thought I was untouchable, I didn’t care. I was a young lad that didn’t have a care in the world.
”I though I had a right to do what I want, but now I’m going to try and make a change and hope people can accept my apology.”
Gregory also apologised to his mother and sister, who he claimed he had let down by getting them evicted from their property.
But the thug added that he did not think he deserved the ASBO imposed on him by Avon and Somerset Police.
He wrote: ”I know I have got a lot of offences, but I don’t go around causing damage to people’s property who don’t deserve it. I don’t choose random people.”
Gregory signed off the letter by saying he was going to move to Bristol after his release, before returning back to Weston in a ”few years” for a fresh start.
PC Dean Parker, who has worked closely with Gregory on the notorious estate, said he needed to ”back up” his words.
He said: ”Obviously this sort of an apology is a step in the right direction, but I’m not going to get excited about it yet.
”He now needs to back it up, following through these words with actions and come back to Weston a better person.
”I hope the time to reflect upon what he has done will have done him good.”
Gregory was jailed at North Somerset Courthouse on September 3 after breaking an interim ASBO by meeting a known accomplice.
He was also given a full ASBO banning him from entering the centre of the Bournville estate for three years or causing harassment, alarm or distress to others in Weston.
Gregory is also banned from being in possession of a balaclava or in the company of two known associates.
His offences this year include interfering with a vehicle, destroying or damaging property and breaching previous supervision orders.
A spokeswoman for the CPS confirmed Gregory had a large number of offences dating back to 2006.
He has been responsible for numerous anti-social behaviour incidents, criminal damage and arranged theft.
