Thought for the month

Restorative justice has a life-changing power. It brings together criminals and their victims to try to repair the harm and to find a positive way forward. Simon, Nick Dawson’s twin brother, was tortured and murdered by 2 men who had kicked and beaten 30-year-old Simon until he was unconscious. They removed his watch, stole his bank card, revived him enough to learn his PIN, then threw him into a pond to drown.

Simon’s brutal murder made a very deep impact on Nick and the family. In the 16 years since Simon was murdered, Nick had viewed his murderers as sub-human evil monsters. He had fantasised about torturing and killing them and said, “I felt utter hatred towards them.” But now he was going to talk calmly, face to face with Craig, the apparent ringleader. Nick’s recently published book “Face to Face” tells the full story.

Nick and Simon had shared an idyllic childhood in Cumbria. They had been born 10 minutes apart and were known simply as ‘the twins’. Identical twins have a special empathy and connection. In 2012 when Simon’s killers came up for parole the family was invited to read victim impact statements. Nick says, “It was incredibly powerful, I still remember Craig, holding a tissue, tears running down his face while I spoke about Simon. In that moment he turned from a monster to a human and, bizarrely, I felt sorry for him. I couldn’t believe that feeling. As I walked out, I felt, ‘I need to talk to you.’’’ Craig wasn’t granted parole.

In March 2015 Nick and his wife met Craig in HMP Woodhill. Craig was a strong, grown man. Nick asked him to tell them what happened the night Simon was murdered and about Craig’s upbringing. At first Craig struggled to look at Nick. He said his father had been in prison, and when he was 10, he went into foster care. By 16 he was an angry career criminal. Craig said his dad had taught him violence was the only way to earn respect. He’d been beaten by his stepfather and abused in the foster home. Nick felt if Craig had had a stable, loving childhood things probably would have been different.

Over the years though, with therapy and education, Craig gradually realised the enormity of what he’d done. He had killed someone. He said to Nick, “I struggle with how I can apologise to you because what I did to your family was so evil, the word ‘sorry’ is hollow. I want my actions coming out of prison to be my apology – my commitment to being a better person and never coming back.” Hearing Craig speak Nick felt his life had changed. He said, “To hear Craig’s shame and regret directly from him moved me towards my own definition of forgiveness. It helped me understand what happened, accept it and live at peace.” At Craig’s next parole hearing Nick said, “You’re ready to come out now. You deserve a second chance. I just want you to promise that you’re not going to return to prison.” Once Nick had wanted to torture Craig to death but said,” Now I had seen him as a human being.”