“I turned to crime when I was sixteen, stealing from shops, picking pockets, dealing drugs to the other kids on our estate, loitering around in gangs. My sister left school early and got a job in a supermarket, which I never wanted for her, but at least she was on the right side of the law. Between the two of us, we just about managed to keep our family afloat, while Mum spent all day lying on the sofa, crying about Dad and drinking.”
“Wasn't there anybody who could help her? Counsellors, social services, doctors?” Kiri asked.
Khan shook his head. “She was so stubborn, my mum. She refused to speak to anybody, even when she saw her kids ruining their lives to keep our family alive. I really resented her and we fought a lot. I felt like, when Dad died, she abandoned us as well. I probably
