The Last Escape - By John Killick

This autobiography by John Killick, now aged 75, is the extraordinary story of a man who spent nearly half his life in jail. He comes across as an exceptionally talented man with an indomitable spirit. Killick was tough and could look after himself in a fight – basic requirements for survival in jail. He lays no claims to being charming, but he must be, given his life story. He takes pride in having been a good storyteller from a young age and in his love of reading and talent for writing. But he was also hopelessly addicted to gambling and much too willing to take risks.
Not everyone who has had a very difficult childhood takes to crime and not every criminal has had a difficult childhood. In Killick’s case, he was brought up by a drunken, physically abusive father. His mother committed suicide after being repeatedly assaulted by his father. Killick dropped out of school at age 15, which meant he could only get menial jobs that he hated. But it was his resentment at the unfairness of his mother’s death that started his life of crime: ‘The mother I loved was dead at forty-three. And inside me something also died. Until that day I had always believed that if you are good, everything will turn out all right.’