Whilst on a night out in the summer of 2011, Jacob Dunne made a split second decision to throw a punch that killed James Hodgkinson.

After being convicted of manslaughter, Jacob spent 14 months in prison during which time James’ parents contacted him to get answers about their son’s death. A dialogue began between them and when Jacob was released, Joan and David asked a question that he says saved him: “What are you going do with your life?”

That led to him doing his GCSE’s and getting a degree, and with James’ parents he now campaigns for criminal justice reform to improve the experience of victims and reduce reoffending.

Amol and Jacob go into extraordinary detail about his tough upbringing in Nottingham, what happened on that fateful night in 2011, and how – through his relationship with Joan and David - Jacob turned his life around.

They also discuss knife crime and why he thinks building stronger relationships is the solution to ending the cycle of violence in some of the most deprived areas of the UK.

His story is the subject of a West End play called Punch by James Graham and an award-winning BBC Radio 4 Series, which you can listen to here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000l0jr

(00:04:00) What is restorative justice?

(00:14:00) Growing up in Nottingham

(00:26:44) The punch

(00:47:00) Time in prison

(00:56:20) Life after prison

(01:05:00) Meeting James' parents

(01:22:40) The future

(01:31:00) Amol’s reflections

(01:36:14) Listener messages

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Radical with Amol Rajan is a Today Podcast. It was made by Lewis Vickers with Anna Budd. Digital production was by Gabriel Purcell-Davis. Technical production was by James Piper. The editor is Sam Bonham. The executive producer is Owenna Griffiths.