From prisoner to businesswoman - How a Sunderland woman's time in jail changed her outlook on life
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Leanne Marriner was sentenced to over five years in jail for drug offences and, after serving three-and-a-half years, she left prison in September last year with plans for a new chapter.
The 37-year-old threw herself into becoming a personal trainer, alongside the launch of her meal prep venture Clean Prep Up North.
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Hide AdLeanne said being jailed alongside addicts helped open her eyes to the problems drug dealing causes, and seeing first hand the suffering she decided it was time to turn her life around.
She said: “When I was in prison, a Christian group called Junction 42 would come in and I really connected with them.
"I spoke to someone who had served time and was now a PT on the outside and she proved to me that I could have a go at it myself.
"After that, I just threw myself into learning while I was in prison and I managed to get qualifications to do with the gym, cooking, food preparation and business management.
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Hide Ad"When I came out, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do but Junction 42 and a company called Handcrafted helped me develop the idea of Clean Prep alongside my personal training.”
Leanne, who now lives in Durham, believes that if she hadn’t been sent to jail, she may never have taken steps to change her life.
She added: “I definitely wouldn’t have changed without it, so I do think it was a good thing for me.
"It takes you out of your normal life and it allowed me to see the other side of things, especially prisoners who are struggling with drug addictions, you don’t really see that side when you’re dealing.”
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Hide AdLeanne’s food prep business boomed throughout lockdown and with the help of her partner Chloe Violet Hurst, she has now opened a bistro called Clean Seventeen on Frederick Street, Sunderland city centre.
"I can’t thank Chloe enough, she supported me throughout my sentence and she has even left her job to come work alongside me,” Leanne added.
"I’m now working with Northumbria Police to advise them on better relationships with offenders and even supporting prisoners.
"I just want to show people that criminals can change.”