Have you ever dated a 'gangster/bad boy' - what was it like?

A friend did when we were at school. He broke into her family’s home and raped and murdered her when she broke it off.

Don’t glamourise “bad boys”.

Oh dahlink, you have led a very sheltered life!

Bloody Nora, how dreadful. I hope your life these days is fulfilling and serene ( oh, and by the way, Gene Hunt is MINE!)

Are you writing a psychological crime fiction novel OP, and if so will you give the posters dishing the dirt, a disguised name check?

I'm gay, but I dated a 'gangsa' female, not sure if that makes a difference OP?

Career criminal, burglar, drug dealer, out and out wrong 'un'. She was in collaboration with a similar female friend (also a lesbian).

House looked like something off 'Only Fools and Horses'. 'Stuff' of certain themes would just appear and take up the whole house.

She was eventually abusive and I got out, but that was a real drip-feed.

I failed to see how bad things were for her, I think I couldn't see the woods for the trees. I am from a fairly privileged background, not wealthy but not short of opportunities or education. She wasn't. She'd gone to a school for troubled children and left with no qualifications.

I have always prided myself on being non-judgmental, and open, and see the good in people. I thought that was it though, she was less privileged and didn't have money, lived in a dodgy area, I didn't know she was anything other than that.

She never disclosed her drug dealing (or taking!) or burglaries etc to me until we'[d been together a good few years and me having never been around anything like that, didn't look for any signs.

For the most part, she was a lot of fun. I got a lot of expensive presents 'Ask no questions and I'll tell you no lies'. I learned a lot from her. She could be absolutely lovely and she was fiercely protective. If we went out in town she'd leave me to go and do 'dodgy dealings' but would buy me a glass of wine and tip the bouncer (a lot!) to not take his eyes off me, so I felt quite special.

Some of it, I still have to laugh at now I am out. For example years later she disclosed to me that once when she told me she felt ill so couldn't come out for something I'd arranged, that it was actually because the police were looking for her albeit they'd never have found her as they were looking for a teenage boy (she was in her forties, short haired, skinny and dressed like what you'd get if you google searched 'chav', dark tracksuit bottoms, hoodie, baseball cap etc).

I once stayed over at her house and had to climb up several rows of carpet to get up the stairs (nightmare with a cup of tea or glass of wine in one's hand!) as they'd filled the house with (stolen!) carpets and there was nowhere else to put them. Had to slide down them to go out in the morning too.

Not me but a friend. The guy was very quiet and seemed quite nice. A lot happened but she eventually broke it off because he just couldn’t stop stabbing people.
She has always been into “bad boys”. The most insane thing is that none of them ever went to prison for drug dealing, gang crime, violence etc. but one was sent back inside for driving while banned. Obviously not great but surely dealing and stabbing are worse crimes

Yes. Avoid.

Yep I was 16 pregnant with his baby he isolated me from my family and friends would physically and emotionally abuse me and wouldn't think twice of locking me in his flat for days at a time. He's in prison now.

Eew, no, never. I have never seen the appeal of these types of men. Even as a teenager, all I saw when I looked at them were trouble, drama, and other things I don't want to attract into my life.

You got your eye on someone OP?

DO write a book!

No
Bad boys never ever approached me … thank the Lord

There is levels of it arenr't there and I think some of it is who you meet. I've never come across people actively involved in dealing drugs or guns and knives directly. I also have an excellent are you taking the piss-ometer. I remember a holiday snog in Cornwall with a guy saying you are such an amazing kisser, can I have a blow job. I just laughed and said that's just such a line. Mainly as I was thinking how does he know objectively that I am great, has he kissed many girls. Too many variables for him to mean it. He seemed slightly frustrated. That's always another barometer that someone isn't genuine - that they seem frustrated and can't communicate.

I married one. It was fine. Still is.

Yes. When I was young and stupid and thought drama was exciting.
It was ridiculous.

Yes it was fun for about 3 weeks until on a night out he spotted people were being stopped and searched and put his stash of drugs in my bag without me noticing.

I’d read it

I went out with Reggie Kray for a while. He loved his mum
more than me so ended it.