Former British speedway sensation Jason Garrity has said he ended up behind bars for “trying to help people and it backfired”.
Ex-motorsport star Garrity bagged a hefty prison sentence of seven years and six months after he burgled a bedridden man’s home. He then went on to rob an elderly woman at knifepoint before unsuccessfully attempting to withdraw cash using one of his victims’ bank cards, reported The Mirror.
Detective Constable Natalie Fairhurst from the Greater Manchester Police’s Tameside District, during his sentencing in May 2020, labelled Garrity’s actions as “despicable crimes”. She added that the Longsight native “deliberately targeted vulnerable members of the community” when committing these offences.
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Yet, despite all this, the Speedway star, who won the 2011 National League Riders Championship, seems focused on reviving his career on the track post-release. Garrity has made a start at apologising for what he did, suggesting his misdemeanours were due to trying to assist “the wrong people”.
He confessed to Kris Simpson: “Obviously [I was] just hanging out with the wrong people. Thought those people were actually my friends. And I always knew that they weren’t.
(Image: Speedway)
“Then everything happened. I just tried helping people out, and it backfired on me. Everything happened that fast, and it was just a sad thing. Straight away after it happened, I knew that shouldn’t have happened. Then, once I got locked up, it was just a case of me putting everything to one side and dedicating myself so I could be as fit as possible for when I get out.
“Obviously, I’m trying to make everyone proud. I know it’s not gonna happen straight away [or] overnight, it’s something where I’ll have to work 110% to get back to where I was. I’m really looking forward to it, but it was a bad scenario. And like I say, I’m sorry for everything that happened, and it’s only me [who] can put things right.”
(Image: Speedway)
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Garrity – who has represented top-flight speedway teams like the Belle Vue Aces, Leicester Lions, Sheffield Tigers, and King’s Lynn Stars in the past – also assured he’s cut ties with certain bad influences in his life. A former British under-19 champion, Garrity was tipped for big things on the national circuit before issues in his personal life interfered with his career.
“I’m ready for it,” added Garrity in regards to a track return. “I lost my granddad, that was a bit hard to deal with while I was away. I just want to make sure I can make him proud, make myself proud and make everyone around me proud. No-one’s around me now making me go backwards in life.”
(Image: Scunthorpe Amateur Speedway)
Scunthorpe Amateur Speedway shared a snap of Garrity back on his bike with fellow riders in April. His comeback has sparked a split among fans, with some arguing for a permanent ban, while others believe he deserves another shot.