HE spent 12 years behind bars after committing a spate of violent robberies.

Gary Robinson was hooked on amphetamines and ecstasy and held up 13 travel agents in Greater Manchester armed with a gun.

The police caught up with him and he admitted his crimes. The judge said the incidents were so serious that he gave him an indeterminate prison sentence where he must serve a minimum of four years before being released into the community.

That was his life in 2000, but now the 46-year-old is looking forward to a bright future on the outside.

He was released from prison in March 2013, and with help from the probation service has been looking for employment.

The father-of-four is delighted to have started a training course with a building company, where he hopes he will be offered a job.

Mr Robinson, who lives in Bolton, is one of the success stories of the Achieve programme in Bolton, run by John Knight.

Through the scheme, and using qualifications he gained while in prison, he has been able to turn his life around.

Mr Robinson said: “I can only describe the offences I committed as vicious and cowardly. Trying to find the right words to express the sorrow, shame, and guilt I feel for my actions causes me great sadness and can only sound like an insult as no words could possibly amend the pain and suffering I have caused to the victims.”

But he has now accepted his wrong doing and has vowed never to go back to prison.

He never expected that he would spend 12 years inside.

His family have stuck by him and he spoke proudly about his children, whom he missed growing up. They have gone on to get good jobs, including a school teacher and council worker.

“When I got four years minimum I thought I would be out in six, I did not expect to do three times the sentence. I missed a lot of things but I am never going back to prison.

“I am so proud of my children, but they have also said they are proud of me and how I have changed.”

He said that before he joined the Achieve programme he felt like he was failing, but now he has a different outlook on life.

He said: “I have had to adapt and really focus on what I am doing. I have had fantastic support to be able to do this and am looking forward to the future.”