A supposedly reformed teenage terror who was handed his first ASBO at just twelve years old assaulted a police officer despite previously vowing to live a crime-free life.
Danny Oakley, now 30, claimed to have turned over a new leaf since racking up 70 offences with his younger brother Ricky.
The pair – dubbed the ‘Asbros’ – terrorised neighbours across their Park Village estate in Wolverhampton for years, with dad Martin growing so frustrated with their antics that he hauled them onto the Jeremy Kyle show.
Danny seemed to have left his loutish past behind him when he came out as gay and promised to devote his life to helping LGBT kids from tough backgrounds after being elected Equalities Officer at college.
Danny Oakley (pictured), now 30, claimed to have turned over a new leaf since racking up 70 offences with his younger brother Ricky
At just 12-years-old Danny (pictured with his brother Ricky) was handed his first ASBO for assaulting a police officer
The pair – dubbed the ‘Asbros’ – terrorised neighbours across their Park Village estate in Wolverhampton for years, with dad Martin growing so frustrated with their antics that he hauled them onto the Jeremy Kyle show
But in April last year he pleaded guilty at Dudley Magistrates’ Court to assaulting a police officer after a boozy night out.
‘I’m not proud of myself, it was stupid’, he told MailOnline this week. ‘I made a mistake. I hate myself for being back in trouble again.
‘I have a real problem with authority. But now I’m trying to be on my best behaviour!’
I’m really trying to live an honest and peaceful life but it’s not that easy. I’m not nearly as bad as I was!’
Jobless and single Danny admits to smoking cannabis for ‘medicinal purposes’ and is ‘better off living on benefits’ than working.
Danny claims a spell behind bars changed his way of thinking – not being handed ‘ineffective court orders.’
He told how he had desperately tried to change his life for the better but his brother, two years younger, never bothered and he is now estranged from him.
He claims a spell behind bars changed his way of thinking – not being handed ‘ineffective court orders.’
His latest shame came during an incident in his home city on April 09, 2022 – eight years after he walked free from jail and when he was aged 28.
Danny, who in his youth had gone on a spree of burglaries and robberies, as well as causing havoc by hurling knives, setting off fire and slashing tyres, insisted that whilst out clubbing for the night he had his drinks spiked which led to a scuffle with police officers and a trip to hospital.
He was spared jail and ordered to pay compensation to his victim of £75, and costs of £135, totally £210.
‘What happened was down to my drink being spiked, my behaviour that night was out of character, and I apologised profusely to the court and the officer’, he said.
‘I suffer from anxiety and depression, I have a personality disorder, I am very complex, and at times I hate the world.
‘At those times I have a real problem with authority but I am trying to be a good person, and I am a much better than the terrible kid I once was.’
Danny spoke out after ASBOs are back in the spotlight with Labour planning to re-introduce them as part of their General Election bid to tackle street crime and crack down on repeat offenders.
He stated: ‘ASBOs didn’t help me or my brother because they allowed us to carry on doing what we were doing out on the streets. They only gave us notoriety.
‘Twenty-four-seven we were still doing whatever we wanted!’
Danny, who is also estranged from his separated parents Martin and Marie, claimed 28 days in jail up in 2014, aged 20, was the turning point.
He recalled: ‘I was locked away and isolated and I had no visitors.
Danny seemed to have left his loutish past behind him when he came out as gay and promised to devote his life to helping LGBT kids from tough backgrounds. But in April last year he pleaded guilty to assaulting a police officer after a boozy night out
Danny spoke out after ASBOs are back in the spotlight with Labour planning to re-introduce them as part of their General Election. He stated: ‘ASBOs didn’t help me or my brother because they allowed us to carry on doing what we were doing out on the streets. They only gave us notoriety’
‘I felt suicidal and had no purpose in life and it showed me that I needed to change because if I didn’t, I’d be right back there. It taught me the lesson I needed.’
He told how he suddenly ‘grew up’ inside and, once free, he tried his best to stop being a trouble-maker, and for nearly a decade he lived a crime-free existence.
He got jobs – most recently working as a kitchen assistant with the hope of becoming a chef at a Wetherspoons restaurant but he blew that chance when he got nicked, again, for the first time in nearly 10 years.
Today, he claims to be trying hard to be a better citizen and slates the Labour Party for wanting to re-introduce a the ‘ineffective’ anti social behavioural orders.
He said: ‘They are not a deterrent. If you do a crime, you should do the time.
‘Politicians who want ASBOs back or something similar are being too lackadaisical. It’s time to scape those orders indefinitely and send offenders to prison instead.
‘ASBOs didn’t help me or my brother.’
He urged: ‘Don’t think about bringing then back, scrap them for good, and send offenders to prison instead!’