Ex-Belle Vue Aces star who was sent to prison says he 'tried helping people out and it backfired'

Former British Speedway star Jason Garrity has claimed his incarceration was the result of "trying to help people and it backfired."

Ex-Belle Vue Aces rider Garrity, 30, was sentenced to seven years and six months in prison after he was found guilty of burgling a bed-bound man's home and then robbing an elderly woman at knifepoint. He also attempted to use one of his victim's bank cards to withdraw cash but was unsuccessful, reported The Mirror.

Detective Constable Natalie Fairhurst of Greater Manchester Police's Tameside District labelled Garrity's actions as "despicable crimes" during his sentencing in May 2020. She further stated the Longsight native had "deliberately targeted vulnerable members of the community."

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Despite his past, the 2011 National League Riders Championship winner is now planning a return to the track following his release. Garrity - who rode for Belle Vue Colts before joining the senior team years later - has attempted to apologise for his actions, suggesting they were a result of him trying to assist "the wrong people".

In an interview with Kris Simpson, he said: "Obviously [I was] just hanging out with the wrong people. I thought those people were actually my friends. And I always knew they weren't. 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