Jonathan Bellamy heard Ryan Cox's story.

Ryan Cox

Growing up in the care system, Ryan Cox became a rebellious and hurt young man, entering the world of crime at a young age. During his third time in prison, he encountered Jesus and his life hasn't been the same since. Jonathan Bellamy spent time with Ryan, hearing his story.

Jon: Let's start at the beginning, what were your early years like?

Ryan: I was born in Good Hope Hospital in Sutton Coldfield and then I moved to Tamworth. My family was quite a distant family, there were struggles in the family. I've got three sisters and two brothers. Me and one of my other sisters were brought up in the care system, but not together, we were separated. So I ended up in foster care with old family friends and that was alright to start with, but my family fell out with those friends, so I got moved into a children's home then, a place called The Elders.

Jon: How old were you when you were moved into the children's home?

Ryan: About 12 or 13. It was quite a relief to be in there to be honest, away from the old estate, but at the same time it was heartache. It was painful for me and my sister, because she lives the other side of Coventry. I got used to it in that children's home though.

Jon: Was it hard being separated from family members?

Ryan: Yeah, it was and still is. You still think about them, you still love em, but what's happened, happened.

Jon: Where were your parents in all of this? Did you ever see them?

Ryan: No, I haven't seen my parents for quite a number of years now. I can only remember what they looked like back then and it's mainly bad memories I can remember about them as well.

Jon: What kind of things?

Ryan: The physical abuse and racial abuse, rejection and lack of love.

Jon: Is that one of the reasons it was a relief to get into the children's home at that time? Did it feel a bit safer?

Ryan: It did yeah. When I was around the other kids I had the same problems, or similar problems should I say. So that's where I started drinking, taking drugs and getting involved with crime and it kept escalating until eventually Social Services moved me on to another children's home in Nuneaton, called The Springboard. That one was just a mild place, a mild home, smaller as well, so they could take more care of you. That was good, but I still had the problems.

Jon: Was it easy to find yourself caught up in those kinds of problems and issues?