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<\/p>\nLuke was held at gunpoint during his shift at a bookmaker<\/p>\n
Luke was diagnosed with PTSD after being held up at gunpoint while working at a bookmaker in 2007(Image: Collect\/PA Real Life)<\/p>\n
A father diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after being held up at gunpoint while working at a bookmaker in 2007 said he finally feels ‘like me again’ after starting medical cannabis three years ago.<\/p>\n
Luke Walter, a compliance manager who is using his middle name instead of his surname for privacy reasons, was closing up a William Hill store in Worcester at around 6pm on October 14 2007 when the attack happened.<\/p>\n
The 38-year-old got his part-time job at the bookmaker in summer 2007 while living at home in Bristol after his first year of university. The day of the armed robbery was his first shift after transferring to the Worcester branch.<\/p>\n
Hearing a noise in the toilet, 19-year-old Luke went to see what it was and came across a man in a balaclava, who put a gun to his head and a knife to his chest before running off with \u00a3530.<\/p>\n
Luke gave a statement to police and tried to go to rugby training the next morning as normal, but he said he had a ‘huge breakdown’ at his university in Worcester that Monday and took three weeks off his studies.<\/p>\n
He called his parents and went home to Bristol for three weeks, where he said he \u201cbasically just didn\u2019t leave\u201d his room and \u201cbroke down constantly\u201d.<\/p>\n
Luke said he was diagnosed with PTSD and depression and struggled with \u201cconstant stress\u201d after developing a fear of the dark, enclosed spaces and strangers in public.<\/p>\n
In the almost two decades since the incident, he said he has been treated with \u201clots of different\u201d types of antidepressants, but experienced side-effects like low mood and \u201cnumb\u201d emotional responses, which prompted him to \u201ccome off everything\u201d.<\/p>\n
![\"Luke](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/1792378213_804_0_PA-REAL-LIFE-Luke-Walter.jpg\")
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Luke went to live at home with his parents in Bristol after the incident and \u201cbroke down constantly\u201d(Image: Collect\/PA Real Life)<\/p>\n
Luke went to some \u201cvery dark places\u201d, including self-harm, punching walls in an attempt to control his anger.<\/p>\n
It was during trauma-focused cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) in 2021 that Luke\u2019s therapist first mentioned medical cannabis, which he decided to try two years later after doing his own research.<\/p>\n
Describing his life now, Luke said it is like \u201cnight and day\u201d because, although he still has some bad days, the new medication has taken \u201cthe fear\u201d away.<\/p>\n
Luke, who has two children aged 12 and 10 with his wife of 14 years, said: \u201cMedical cannabis is not for everyone\u2026 but I think it\u2019s really fair to say that if I hadn\u2019t found it, I wouldn\u2019t be here today.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think PTSD is something that never goes away, so I don\u2019t want to get into a false sense of security that I\u2019m good.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m just trying to work on myself every day and make sure that I\u2019m providing the best version of myself for my kids and my wife.\u201d<\/p>\n
Luke said he had \u201cno issues with mental health\u201d before the armed robbery.<\/p>\n
While closing the store at around 6pm, Luke went into the shop\u2019s toilet to check no one was in there before he locked up.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s when I was greeted with (a man) holding on to the sink, balaclava on, basically psyching himself up,\u201d Luke said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe turned to me and I saw panic in his eyes, then he ran into the stall, ran back out, and I had a gun put to my temple and a knife put to my chest.\u201d<\/p>\n
The thief grabbed \u00a3530 from behind the counter and escaped through the fire exit, before Luke pushed a panic button and police arrived shortly after.<\/p>\n
The robber, Stephen Jackley, formerly of Sidmouth, Devon, was sentenced to 13 years in prison in 2009 after pleading guilty to 18 offences including armed robberies, attempted armed robberies, firearms offences, burglary, attempted burglary and assault.<\/p>\n
Luke made a police statement and an officer drove him home by 10pm, but he said the gravity of the situation \u201cdidn\u2019t hit\u201d until the next day.<\/p>\n
After rugby training, Luke was supposed to go to class but found himself having a panic attack, so he went to his university\u2019s student services office instead.<\/p>\n
\u201cI couldn\u2019t get my words out and I couldn\u2019t do anything,\u201d Luke said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThen I just had a huge breakdown.\u201d<\/p>\n
The first time he visited a GP was when he was back at university in November 2007 and found he could not sleep properly.<\/p>\n
Within a year, Luke received his PTSD diagnosis and said he tried sleeping pills but \u201chated them with a passion\u201d because they made him feel \u201cgroggy\u201d.<\/p>\n
He gained 12 stone due to \u201ccomfort eating\u201d and was 28st at his heaviest.<\/p>\n
Luke said he also developed deep fears of the dark and closed doors, so he would sleep with the lights on and would scan for exits whenever he entered a room.<\/p>\n
\u201cI couldn\u2019t do things like travel to London because I\u2019d be looking for danger everywhere and scanning every person.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe anxiety of being in public was massive, and I just had to fight it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Luke said different types of antidepressants made him \u201cnumb\u201d so he tried two rounds of CBT and one round of specific trauma-focused CBT that helped him process what happened and his resulting fears.<\/p>\n
During an appointment with a therapist for the latter, Luke learnt about medical cannabis, which has been legal in the UK since 2018 when prescribed by a specialist doctor listed on the General Medical Council specialist register.<\/p>\n
![\"Luke](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/1792378214_201_0_PA-REAL-LIFE-Luke-Walter.jpg\")
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Luke described the medical cannabis as “life-changing” (Image: Collect\/PA Real Life)<\/p>\n
Dr Ahmed Shoka, consultant psychiatrist at Medical Express Clinic, told PA Real Life: \u201cMedical cannabis is sometimes prescribed for PTSD.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s typically prescribed as oils or dried flowers for vaporising (and) the treatment is often aimed at trying to ease poor sleep, nightmares and anxiety.<\/p>\n
\u201cSome patients do report improvements\u2026 (but) cannabis should not replace established treatment or be used without medical supervision.\u201d<\/p>\n
Luke came across Curaleaf Clinic, whose director of research, Dr Simon Erridge, explained how a prescription works: \u201cIt starts with a review of the patient\u2019s medical records, followed by a consultation with a specialist doctor.<\/p>\n
\u201cEach case is then considered by a team of doctors to make sure treatment is appropriate, and we keep the patient\u2019s GP and any other healthcare professionals involved in their care informed.<\/p>\n
\u201cOnce treatment begins, patients have regular follow-ups so their care can be adjusted over time.\u201d<\/p>\n
Patients typically pay between \u00a375 and \u00a3250 a month, including medicine and routine appointments.<\/p>\n
Since starting medical cannabis in 2023, Luke said it has taken his \u201cstress and constant fear away\u201d.<\/p>\n
Luke uses a medical vaporiser for up to eight doses of 0.3g of cannabis a day, but said he will only really use the full dosage if something like an anniversary or Facebook<\/a> memory of the incident comes up.<\/p>\n Luke said medical cannabis has been \u201clife-changing\u201d and makes him \u201cfeel stuff\u201d, instead of the numbness he experienced on antidepressants.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve never looked back because I\u2019ve had multiple promotions, my family life is much better, my mental health improved, I\u2019m back in sport, I\u2019ve lost weight and it\u2019s opened up so many doors,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019d given up and I was just going through the motions, but now it\u2019s completely different.\u201d<\/p>\n Luke believes it is important to share his story to help reduce negative perceptions around medical cannabis.<\/p>\n \u201cThe stigma around it is ridiculous,\u201d Luke said.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is my medication and it doesn\u2019t affect anyone else.<\/p>\n \u201cIt helps me function, it allows me to contribute (to society), and most importantly, it allows me to be there for my kids.\u201d<\/p>\n