Top Boy star Ashley Walters reveals his children watching him being arrested is the biggest regret of his life
Ashley Walters has said the biggest regret of his life was when his children saw him arrested.
The Top Boy actor, 41, opened up about his life in a candid chat for the BBC's Louis Theroux Interviews, where he spoke about his run-ins with the law.
Ashley recalled how he once had a gun pulled on him while he was carrying his son Shayon, now 22, after he made a comment about someone copying his lyrics on the radio.
After the incident, father-of-eight Ashley spent £1,300 on a gun to 'protect herself'.
But in 2002, the actor was arrested when he lost his temper during a disagreement with a traffic warden and said, “I'm going to shoot you.”
Ashley Walters has said the biggest regret of his life was when his children saw him arrested
The TV star's partner, Natalie Williams, and their children Shayon and China, now 21, saw him being handcuffed and taken away by police
The TV star's partner, Natalie Williams, and their children Shayon and China, now 21, saw him being handcuffed and taken away by police.
Recalling the incident, he said: 'I didn't actually intend to shoot. I didn't want to risk my freedom because I shot a traffic warden. But I mean, I made my comments, I said what I said.
'It was horrible. My biggest regret is that my children were there. It was a big part of my life,” he admits. “I never wanted to go back to prison.”
Ashley shares Shayon and Panerai, 19, and daughter China with his former partner Natalie Williams.
The Netflix star also has two young daughters Antonia and Ashleigh with another unnamed woman, while he raises Amiaya-Love and River and a stepson with his wife of seven years, actress Danielle Isaie.
Ashley, who ended up serving 18 months in prison, said he regretted following in his convicted father's footsteps.
The actor, from Peckham in south-east London, was raised by his mother Pamela while his father was in and out of prison.
He joined the So Solid Crew at the age of 16 and established himself as Asher D.
The actor was arrested in 2002 when he lost his temper during a disagreement with a traffic warden and said: 'I'm going to shoot you'
Ashley, who ultimately served 18 months in prison, said he regretted following in his convicted father's footsteps (Kano depicted as Sully and Ashley Walters as Dushane in the show)
Recalling his youth, he said, “We live in a place where young people are not completely busy, so what do they do? They stick around and might get themselves into trouble.
'It wasn't until I was maybe 16 that I changed as a child. During those years I got into trouble and joined So Solid.
“I wasn't rebelling against my mother, but it was rebelling against all the things she had built for me and the safety she kept me…I didn't grow up rich, but I had no reason to do so . selling drugs or standing on the street.
“But I was hanging out with some real gangsters at the time, so I could easily become a target.”