“I can tell you that prison is not good, because I experience it”

Fresh from spending almost two years on remand at Her Majesty’s Prisons, Noel Pierre is thanking God that he is now at home with his family.{{more}}

The 41-year-old Walvaroo, Sion Hill, resident, speaking to SEARCHLIGHT one week after his February 7 release from prison – time served for the 2010 killing of Franklyn Burgin – says that he realizes that he could have spent more time behind bars, but is grateful to be out, and ready to continue his life, by serving God.

“I always used to tell God let his will be done, and if I didn’t get out, God wasn’t finish purging me.

“It feels good to be back with the family and neighbors, so I plan to go back to church and serve God and stay on the straight and narrow track.”

The father of six said his experience in jail was not a good one, but he felt that that’s where he was supposed to be, if he was to get back on track.

The construction worker said that before being imprisoned, he used to serve God, but because of his work and his friends, he fell along the wayside.

“I was hanging out with them and I get pulled back into the world and slipping away from God, and stopped going to church.

“God see that I was slipping and so he pulled me back.

“When I reach in jail and I saw some people going around by the church and I go round dey a morning, I decide that I have to get back on track with God.”

Pierre believes that God’s way of pulling him back on track was by having him spend some time in jail.

In April 2010, Pierre was arrested for the murder of Burgin, 52, of Arnos Vale, an act that he said he totally regrets.

Last week he pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to two years imprisonment; which he had already spent on remand.

“I didn’t feel good because God know in my heart that I didn’t go to do what I do to him, but it end up in that way, so I always ask God to forgive me, and I want to send an apology to his family to ask them for forgiveness for what I did.”

Pierre took the opportunity to issue words of advice to those who may find themselves in the position to commit a crime, and also words of encouragement for the men who he left behind the walls.

“I can tell you that prison is not a good, because I experience it and it is not a good place; the devil tricks you and then laugh at you…. You will get caught. Think good things, pray and stay away from temptation.”

“I want to encourage them to change their lives and He can make a way for them too.

“Nuff of them used to talk about “Jail Christian’, but I want to say to them, God love Jail Christian, and God make a way for this Jail Christian.

“The way He make for me don’t have to be the way for them, because He know what we are going to do down the road or end up.”

“I was not accustomed to being on lockdown, but when you have God with you, you don’t watch those things because you always have someone around you to comfort you.”