📸 Photo

- FIXED -

Well, we fell for it hook, line and sinker. 'Let's go and meet him,' I said.

And with that, Luke took us over to meet the man that was going to fuck up our lives completely.

A few minutes later, and Luke was giving it large: 'These lads, they're good friends of mine, I can vouch for them; they're stand-up fellas,' he said to the Russian. 'I know them, they're very secure, honest and trustworthy. They would never grass you up. They're just interested in helping you with your business.'

At first, the Russian was stand-offish, and didn't seem interested. 'Speak to Luke,' he said. 'But not here, not tonight. Just talk to Luke, and I will get in touch with you.' He looked at me. 'I will come to your house tomorrow and we'll talk. It is safer that way.'

Decision made, I said, 'I'm one hundred per cent up for it. I'm ready to go for it.' I reached out and shook his big, powerful hand, and so did Paul.

I know what you're thinking: 'What a pair of mugs.' But the way we saw it, our lives were so shit, there was no hope or future for us in Leicester, and we'd never get another offer like that in our lives.

This deal did seem too good to be true and, of course, looking back with the benefit of hindsight, it was. But we'd known Luke for a long time and we trusted him. We wanted a short cut, a head-start in life to get going on it. So there was no turning back.