Mafia gangster has encounter with God

2007: Newcastle mafia gangster Davey Falcus was on the road to ruin with a cocaine and alcohol addiction and a string of violent convictions behind him, when his life was changed after an encounter with God, a Norwich audience heard recently.

 

From his early teens, Davey was involved in organised crime and lived the life of a gangster. Adopted at six weeks old after his mother died, death struck again at five when his adoptive mother also died.

 

By the age of seven, Davey was drinking, smoking and thieving. "At thirteen I was in care, I was angry and hated the world," he said. "I graduated from borstal to prison, working with the crime families of Newcastle's notorious West End. At 17, I was locked up after an armed siege with the police and at 18 jailed for dealing heroin."

By the age of 21, Davey was helping to run pubs, working as a bouncer and was heavily involved in the drug scene, working with the Geordie Mafia.

 

"I was a very violent man, known and feared throughout clubland. I had been in gang warfare all my life, been shot at, stabbed, hit with glasses, bottles and iron bars, as well as being imprisoned and locked up for bank robberies.

 

"I blew fortunes on drink, drugs and high living. I travelled the world, met many famous people, but my life was a mess and I was desperately unhappy."

Davey's life was spiralling out of control because of his cocaine and alcohol addiction.

 

"By the age of 29 I'd had enough. I had become mentally ill, totally unstable and very dangerous. A breakdown was coming and I needed to change my life.

 

Davey moved houses three times to get away from his friends and associates and his desperate search for peace took him through Spiritism, Hinduism, Buddhism and other eastern religions, looking for the answer to his problems and addictions. "I was tormented by nightmares and voices that raged at me to kill myself. I was desperate for peace and came to the verge of suicide," he said.

 

On August 16, 1995, Davey picked up a Bible that had been left in his house by a friend. Reading where it said "He who seeks finds", totally desperate and on the edge of suicide, he called out to Jesus Christ, asking for forgiveness.

 

"I shouted until I got a response," said Davey. "To my utter amazement a bright light filled the room, it was brighter than the sun. Wave after wave of pure bliss rolled over my body, I looked up and Jesus was standing over me shining in all His glory. He spoke to me and said: 'Son, your sins are forgiven, go now and sin no more'.

 

 

Davey is now minister of Ashington Family Church in Northumberland. Over the last ten years he has travelled to some 30 or so countries preaching and teaching in schools, prisons, conferences and crusades, sometimes held in stadiums with many thousands of people.

 

"I've got to know Jesus on a personal level and He has totally transformed my life," said Davey. "He showed me He had a plan for my life. He has helped me to overcome many problems in my life and that has allowed me to help others. He has used me to heal many people including opening blind eyes, opening deaf ears, making the lame walk, as well as seeing every form of illness healed."

 

Davey told his gripping story to the Norwich Full Gospel Businessmen's dinner at Bowthorpe on December 6, 2007. You can read more of Davey's story in his best-selling book From Gangland to God.