Simon describes family life as being very difficult when he was growing up. The man who brought him up was not his natural father and came into his life when he was four years old. Previous to that he lived with his grandparents who spoiled him and life was lovely. All of a sudden life completely changed as his new father was authoritarian and would frequently shout at and smack him. He had never been hit before and still remembers vividly to this day the things his new dad did to him. As a teenager he was not adverse to a fight and became known as someone not to mess with. Aged 15 he started to run with a group of football hooligans enjoying the adrenaline rush and traveled to many of Derby’s away games, often smashing up trains consuming large amounts of alcohol and fighting before during and after games.
Simon left school not really knowing what to do and thought that joining the police force would suit his macho image well. He joined the Metropolitan police force in 1976 aged 19 and the training lasted sixteen weeks. After passing out he realised that he could gain kudos by taking on a strong man image, intimidating people who had been arrested or writing whatever was required to get a conviction, this all in the days before taped police interviews. As a P.C. Simon encountered a wide variety of duties which covered every aspect of street policing. It was crowd control at Arsenal football ground however where he gained a reputation for getting stuck into the aggro. He was nicknamed ‘’the walrus of Arsenal’’ on account of his mustache.
When he was 24 he met his wife Linda the daughter of a police Inspector. They were soon married in a catholic church out of respect for his Gran a devout Catholic. Simon found married life difficult and particularly Linda’s closeness to her family. It caused tension and he admits that he was not easy to live with. He soon began living the single life within the confines of marriage. He was big, strong and fit and in 1984 he became heavyweight boxing champion for the police which only added to his reputation. He was respected and felt invincible. In 1986 he joined a special unit dealing with serious public disorder and worked closely with the football intelligence unit and became possessed by the whole football hooligan thing enjoying the battles between the various football firms.
When Simon reached forty he went seriously off the rails. Drinking heavily, taking drugs and becoming involved with a much younger women he began leading a double life. He ended up getting into a right mess and was as a result prescribed anti depressants, he then left home for three months which damaged his relationship with his children for some time. After mixing with known criminals he was introduced to celebrities and started using steroids which he used to inject into his bum. He got a kick meeting famous people but the steroids he took made him stronger and more aggressive. Consequently one night in a club he snapped and floored a man with a single punch who turned out to be an off duty policeman. Charges were pressed and he was suspended from duty and was eventually acquitted after facing trial at Woolwich crown court. Reprieved on medical grounds based on psychiatric reports he was discharged from the police force in 2000 and his insurance payoff meant that he was financially comfortable particularly as he also supplemented his income with some slippery dealings involving some of the criminal fraternity. But in the end he got taken for a ride being stitched up to the tune of £55,000.
It was about this time that Simon met Bryn a former villain and football hooligan turned Christian. At the time he was physically fit but emotionally and spiritually empty. What struck him was the sense of peace and happiness he saw in Bryn, full of life, the constant smiling seemed genuine. Simon admitted that he was searching for something and Bryn invited him to the Church at Holy Trinity Brompton. As soon as he went in he felt power and love, he enjoyed the service and could relate to the talks, he felt immediately at home. He was enthusiastically greeted and many shook his hand but Simon soon overcame the cynicism he had developed as a policeman as he learned just how genuine the people were. Simon soon began attending the alpha course and could not wait for the next session to learn more.
Whilst away on an Alpha weekend at Pakefield the speaker asked in prayer for the Holy spirit to come and asked those present to "open themselves up". Simon experienced a filling up, a release from worry and was uplifted in his mood. He felt the Holy Spirit move within him. He changed that day and whilst he still struggles in some areas of his life his motivation changed in favour of good. He began reading his bible every day, a book that he regularly used to swear on in court before proceeding to tell a pack of lies. Now it meant something and combined with a prayer life he feels transformed. His relationship with his wife and children improved and he has become happy at home gaining hope and purpose for the future. The day after Pakefield Simon enjoyed a great opportunity, he was thrilled to walk out on the turf that is the home of English rugby, delighted to play a rugby match at Twickenham but that had been nothing compared to the evening before and his first experience of the holy spirit. Simon had gone from copper to criminal to Christ.
Summary and references from Life change by Mark Elsden-Dew.