Kindlhearted Criminal Treats Homeless To Top Hotel
A notorious Liverpool criminal paid for eight rough sleepers to spend two nights in luxury at Liverpool’s Shankly hotel.
Sam Walker, a well-known local criminal, gathered a group of homeless people from the streets of the city-centre and offered to put them up at his own expense. He paid for two executive rooms for the eight men and women and his guests checked in and stayed the night. He also treated the eight new guests to a day’s shopping to replace their wet clothes.
One of the women, Nicola from Rainhill, said she couldn’t describe how much the offer meant to her. The 37-year-old told the Liverpool Echo: “It has been like something out of a fairytale story. We would never have expected something so extravagant off anyone and I still can’t believe I got to stay at the Shankly. It’s something you always dream of but when you’re on the street you don’t think that could ever happen.“
Another guest, Stuart, has been living on the street since he was released from prison in November. The 44-year-old said: “On a normal night I would be on the street just long enough to gather money for a gas canister so I can light the fire in my tent. You’re always in fear of being robbed or not being able to shake the cold so to be able to have a hot shower and sleep in a warm bed is just amazing. What Sam has done for us is out of this world. He has such a good heart.“
Mr. Walker was himself only released from prison last week, after serving a sentence for dangerous driving. He told the Echo: “We could all find ourselves in this position at any point,” and that he wanted to give something back. He commented: “I put them up here because I can. I’m in a position where I have come out of prison and can still live a stable life. Many people don’t have that luxury.”
“Every single one of us are really only one step away from being made homeless, it could happen to any of us. I just wanted to show these people, who may have lost faith, that there are still people out there thinking of them and that we aren’t just sweeping them under the carpet.”
He continued: “We all take these things for granted. Sleeping in a warm bed, wearing clean clothes everyday, but for some people that is just not the reality.“
But opinion was divided in the Echo’s letters page. One reader, Mary Potter, wrote: “What an amazing thing to do. He obviously has a good heart and appreciates that not everyone gets the comfort of a nice warm bed to sleep in every night. This made me feel good knowing that there is still some kind-hearted people out there willing to help the less fortunate. Good on him.”
But others disagreed. For example, one reader wrote: “This guy is a drug dealer and he and his pals have been scamming people out of their money for years. He puts a few people up in a hotel for two days after making hundreds of thousands off of other people dishonestly.”
Another reader added: “This has nothing to do with giving back. This is merely a show for himself to try and establish to people that he still has power in the city.”
