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Prison reading transformed ex-offender's life
17 Oct
Summary
- Reading in prison became Omar Mentesh's path to rehabilitation.
- An electrical accident at age five left him with severe injuries.
- He now runs a company to help rehabilitate prisoners.
Omar Mentesh, a 44-year-old from east London, transformed his life through reading, a journey featured in Queen Camilla's BBC documentary. Mentesh spent nearly two decades involved in crime, with his first prison sentence occurring at age 15.
His path took a drastic turn following a severe electrical accident at age five, which caused extensive injuries and speech problems. This incident, coupled with family circumstances, led him into a life of crime, marked by multiple prison sentences.
It was during his incarceration at Feltham Young Offender Institution that Mentesh discovered the power of books. A copy of 'The Eagle Has Landed' became his first significant literary encounter, offering an escape and broadening his worldview.
Each subsequent prison sentence provided him with opportunities to deepen his reading, develop his character, and build his education. During one sentence, he gained valuable leadership skills representing ethnic minority prisoners.
His final crime, a commercial burglary, resulted in a victim being present, an event that deeply affected him. Serving a sentence of five-and-a-half years, Mentesh focused on education, later earning a degree in business management.
Following his release in 2017, Mentesh established Anabranch, a company aimed at rehabilitating prisoners, symbolizing his own journey of rejoining society. He remains a strong advocate for literacy programs.
