OLDHAM CHRONICLE, THURSDAY JANUARY 11, 2001

Ex-Crook’s religious conversion

PREACHER WANTS TO SHARE HIS EXPERIENCES

By Karen Frazer

CONVERTED….Dave Clarke

It has all the ingredients of a Hollywood blockbuster-crime, violence, drugs and a stretch in Borstal.

But the story of former crook turned preacher Dave Clarke is all too real.

Dave (51) who grew up in Oldham has released his autobiography, “Converted on LSD Trip”, which charts his life of violence and drug dealing-and sudden conversion to Christianity. And it tells of his battle to save the soul of his older brother Micheal -whose mother insisted his name be spelt this way. Michael who is serving a 16- year sentence in the Philippines for promoting sex tourism.

The pair were born in Oldham, where their aunt still lives and they attended Clarksfield Infants School.

They soon got into trouble and went off the rails when they moved down south. Their father had been in the army and mother in the Royal Air Force

David said we lived in my grandfather’s home at Fleet Street, Clarksfield but my father couldn’t get a job in Oldham.

BROTHERS in crime

Dave Clarke (left) and brother Michael as youngsters.

“We moved down South because my father had relatives in Watford but later moved to Wilstone a village near Aylesbury. The children us to take the Mickey out of our accents and because we were smaller we had to do things differently to get them back

Dave Clarke (left) and brother Michael as youngsters.

“We moved down South because my father had relatives in Watford but later moved to Wilstone a village near Aylesbury. The children us to take the Mickey out of our accents and because we were smaller we had to do things differently to get them back.

1960’s and their exploits involved everything from stealing cars to drug dealing.

They were jailed for malicious wounding after shooting women with an air gun pellet, but in 1970 the brother’s paths dramatically parted. Dave converted to Christianity after he found Jesus during a bad LSD Trip and the father of five is now involved with the Christian Gospel Church and teaches electronics at Fareham College near Portsmouth. Michael, who has a daughter, is now languishing in jail in the Philippines after he was arrested for arranging under-age prostitutes for tourists. Michael has always denied the charge.

The Fowler Mean

Banding together. Dave Clarke (left)

With his former band The Fowler Mean

“It stated of with thieving and then my brother got into wounding. I use to live off my brother’s reputation and I became bold knowing he was a villain.

“We did not care what we did to people we would pick up girls and not care”.

Both were notorious in Buckinghamshire, where they lived in the

Dave admits people are sceptical of his conversion-after, which he confessed to 24 crimes people’s home. He escaped a prison sentence and gave information leading to the recovery of over over £1000 of stolen property, including a TV from and old peoples home in Winslow.

People thought I was pulling pranks to get off being sent to prison. They put it down to LSD but I am telling them Jesus did speak to me” Dave says.

I have gone of the rails since then but I have now got motivation for living. I am certain had I not become a Christian I would have been dead by now.

Michael has also converted to Christianity and was baptized in an oil drum in New Bilibid Prison in the Philippines.

Dave hopes his experience will help others and he gives talks about his life.

“I know lots of Christian parent whose children have got into drugs. I know what they are going through and what drugs can do.

I would advise the parents to get my book, to let them read it and then contact me”.

Michael and his daughter Jessica

Dave hopes his experience will help others and he gives talks about his life.

“I know lots of Christian parent whose children have got into drugs. I know what they are going through and what drugs can do.

I would advise the parents to get my book, to let them read it and then contact me”.

I would advise the parents to get my book, to let them read it and then contact me”.

Aunt says book is unfair

Dave’s aunt, who does not want to be named, was sent a copy of the book. The 81-year old said from her Oldham home: I deliberately read it all and I felt that is could be dangerous for himself and for his children. He has a son who is studying at University in Manchester.

“If someone got hold of the book it could be interpreted very differently from what he intended”. She asked him to take out some names, which he did.

She added: “It is also unfair to his brother, as David had not been whiter than white.

He dabbled with drugs when he was young and I know his brother was upset about the book.

David is still very unstable and tends to have ups and downs

http://wwwTrojanHorseInternational.com

http://wwwConvertedonLSD.com