Who is Noel ‘Razor’ Smith?
NOEL ''Razor'' Smith was a self-confessed career criminal.
As a result Smith spent the majority of his adult years behind bars - until he decided it was time to turn his life around.
Who is Noel Smith?
Noel ''Razor'' Smith, born on December 24, 1960, is a British writer and former criminal.
Growing up in London, Noel's first encounter with the police was at the age of 14.
This first encounter saw Smith in court over a string of burglaries that he claimed he had not committed.
The charges were dismissed, however in his own words, Smith ''threw himself into crime'' after that.
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At the age of 16, Smith appeared at the charged with armed robbery and possession of firearms - he was sentenced to 3 years.
After his first stint in prison, Smith then continued a life of crime, committing continuous armed robberies - but the consequences of his actions soon caught up with him.
How long did Noel Smith spend in prison?
Noel Smith spent the majority of his adult life in prison after being charged with 58 different convictions over a period of 33 years.
Looking back on his life, Smith said: ''I was a juvenile offender back in the mid 1970s and went on to become an adult prisoner in the 1980s and beyond.''
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Smith's shortest prison sentence saw him spend 7 days inside a cell for criminal damage.
His longest prison sentence was for life after being found guilty of committing bank robberies and being in possession of firearms.
In 1992, Noel escaped from the prison he was being held in and went on the run for 72 days.
In that time on the run, he robbed 14 more banks and became known as the 'city gentleman robber' because he would rob banks wearing a suit and tie, carrying a briefcase.
He was captured again in 1993 and as a result he was handed 14 concurrent sentences - leaving him with 10 years to serve.
His last conviction came in 1999 - after nearly a decade and over 200 robberies.
It was during his last stretch inside that Smith decided enough was enough and that he needed to change his lifestyle.
While serving his time, Noel said he taught himself to read and write and found sanctuary in books.
He also gained a diploma from the London School of Journalism and an A-level in law.
After being released in 2010, Noel walked out of the prison gates and hasn't been in trouble with the law ever since.
What does Noel Smith do now?
Noel is now a best-selling author and has had a number of his books published.
These include, His autobiography, A Few Kind Words and a Loaded Gun and his latest book, A Rusty Gun.
He has also been awarded a number of Koestler awards for his writing and has contributed articles to the Independent, the Guardian, Punch, the Big Issue, the New Statesman and the New Law Journal.
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Since his release back in to society, Noel also tells his story of a “brutal” criminal justice system to schoolchildren in a bid to deter them from committing crime.
In 2021, it was reported that Noel was the commissioning editor for Inside Time - the country's only newspaper dedicated to the lives of prisoners.