A self-styled “Robin Hood” who carried out armed robberies at banks while still a student has lifted the lid on Britain’s “fractured” justice system.

Stephen Jackley spent time in 14 prisons and served the last part of his six-and-a-half-year sentence at HMP Standford Hill on Eastchurch, Sheppey.

Now 38-years-old, the ex-convict turned author and campaigner has published a book on his life behind bars.

It details how he was convicted after committing a series of armed robberies on banks, bookmakers and betting shops in 2008.

Stephen was a first-year at the University of Worcester, studying Geography and Sociology – just 21 at the time.

He told KentOnline: “I saw myself as a modern-day Robin Hood and on occasions I would mark the notes that had been stolen with ‘RH’, to symbolise that figurehead.

“The objective was to give some of the proceeds to homeless people and those experiencing poverty.”

The robberies took place in Devon, Herefordshire and Worcestershire over the course of six months.

However, he was eventually caught in the US while attempting to buy a Glock model pistol at a gun store in Vermont.

After being held in American custody for a year and classified as a high escape risk by Interpol, Stephen was then deported back to the UK.

In court, he pleaded guilty to 18 charges.

He went on to serve out six-and-a-half years of a 13-year sentence in various prisons around the UK.

“I think it came as a bit of a shock,” he said. “It’s difficult – you are thinking ‘how am I going to survive this?’

“It’s numb at first and nicks at you for months and months.

“Then I realised ‘who the hell were you to do all of that stuff?’”

He added: “At the time of the offences I thought I was doing everything right and the ends justified the means.

“It was only after being in prison that I had the opportunity to see the witness statements and I realised these were people I didn’t factor into my thinking – who were all badly affected and traumatized.”

While serving his sentence, Stephen spent time in 14 prisons – including Winchester, Wandsworth, Lowdham Grange and Pentonville.

In 2012, whilst at HMP Lowdham Grange in Nottingham, he was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome.

He said: “Even before I was sentenced, I saw a psychiatrist who said it was a high possibility and I needed to get a formal assessment.

“It wasn’t a shock really – I always had issues relating to people, being sensitive to noise and obsessions with things.

“I ended up not getting properly diagnosed until quite far into my sentence.”

He also completed an Open University degree – finishing the four-year course he originally started and achieving a Distinction.

Day-to-day life varied in each Category B prison and Stephen learnt first hand the long lasting impact austerity policies had on fellow inmates.

“You might find yourself in one where the unlock is at 8am, you go to work and come back at 5pm,” Stephen explained.

“Others had no work and you are locked up for 23 hours a day – even longer if there are staff shortages.

“Statutory exercise was 13 minutes walking around a concrete yard.

“Not really much, but that was your only time to be outside. That was sometimes cancelled.”

As a result, he challenged certain policies in the penal system that were ushered in by then Tory Justice Minister Chris Grayling.

Stephen represented himself in the High Court, arguing the need for inmates to access IT and legal reference material.

He added: “What shocked me the most was the ability of the wealthier inmates to secure the best conditions and to have influence over the prison structure, including the officers.

“I came across a few high-level characters. Kenneth Noye was one of them.

“Everything from former to current millionaires and people who had been in and out all their lives.

“Those who had also been in the wrong place at the wrong time – it was really diverse.”

A governor eventually stepped in to help with his case, which allowed Stephen to spend the last 11 months at HMP Standford Hill.

He praises the Category D open prison on Sheppey, saying it was “extremely different” to the others.

“I even had a ‘hell scale’ of prisons – like ‘hell level nine’ – this was definitely a level one,” he said.

“You could walk around freely, which all the other prisons didn’t have.

“You could do activities, there weren’t any bars on the windows. It was kind of like a hostel.”

The open prison allowed Stephen to have a temporary release – a gradual integration back into society.

He spent a few days towards the end of his sentence visiting Sittingbourne and Maidstone.

After his release on May 14, 2015, Stephen set up a social enterprise called the Arkbound Foundation in Glasgow, where he now lives.

It aims to support people from disadvantaged backgrounds to have their voice heard through writing workshops, mentoring programmes and community journalism.

‘I want prisons to be detached from politics and governed by sound, proven principles and criminology.’

Throughout his incarceration he kept a diary, which has now been published into a book and details his experience of the UK penal system.

The 38-year-old hopes that the memoir “will make people notice – prisons do need to be reformed”.

He added: “I want prisons to be detached from politics and governed by sound, proven principles and criminology.

“It’s easier said than done.”

“Just Time” by Stephen Jackley is out now and is available to buy via Arkbound here.