"I've stuffed up more than once" - Corey Cadby opens up about prison sentence and drug addiction

Corey Cadby has spoken candidly about the problems that have shaped his life and darts career in recent years during an extensive interview with Bang on Target. The Australian spent approximately three years behind bars, struggled with drug addiction and was involved in several criminal offences. Now released from prison, he is attempting to rebuild his life.

Cadby was once regarded as one of the biggest talents in world darts, but his promising career was overshadowed by problems away from the oche. During the interview, the Australian did not shy away from difficult questions.

The former UK Open finalist acknowledged that he had repeatedly made poor decisions in the past. "I've stuffed up more than once, probably more than twice," Cadby admitted.

Nevertheless, he believes he now deserves another chance. "I've also done my time as well and I'm back on the straight and narrow now, got back with my family, got a baby boy on the way."

During the interview, Cadby was asked about the circumstances surrounding his prison sentence. According to the Australian, he became involved in an incident in which he and a group of others entered his aunt's home.

"There was a group of us boys, we went to me auntie's house. I won't get into too much detail on why we went there," he explained. "We've obviously entered that property and we've went in and we gave my auntie Christie's husband a bit of a touch up."

Cadby was subsequently charged with aggravated armed robbery and grievous bodily harm. "I was the only one charged for it. So there was two charges. There was a charge for aggravated armed robbery, that's obviously entering the property armed. And there also was a charge of GBH, which is obviously grievous bodily harm."

Cadby explained that he spent 28 months on remand and contested both charges in court. "I was charged for both of those and I took it to court. I was in remand for two years and four months, so 28 months. And I took it to trial up to the big court, pled not guilty to both charges because, well, long story short, I didn't think that there was enough evidence to be charged."

According to his account, he was ultimately found guilty of entering the property but acquitted of actually causing injuries to his aunt's husband.

The Australian also revealed that his mother's husband at the time appeared as a witness for the prosecution. Cadby claimed that the man had himself been involved in organising the incident.

"But I was found guilty because my mum's husband, actually the one that set it all up, actually went Crown witness against me. And because Mum was in the middle of actually leaving him, he thought he would go to the police and do a statement. So I was found guilty of entering the home, but I was found not guilty of actually doing the harm to my auntie's husband."

Cadby was released in January after spending approximately three years behind bars.

Being separated from his family for such a long period was particularly difficult. "Jail was not the place for anyone, regardless of the situation. Jail was not a nice place," the Australian said. "But probably the hardest was being away from my family because I feel that I'm really family into it."

During the conversation, Cadby also admitted that he does not always find it easy to discuss his personal problems. "As everyone knows, I'm not the best speaker when I'm put under pressure."

Another major topic was Cadby's struggle with drug addiction. He revealed that his substance abuse had influenced his decision-making for years, including during periods when he was enjoying considerable success on the dartboard.

After securing a PDC Tour Card through Q-School, Cadby had the opportunity to continue his career in Europe. However, he instead decided to return to Australia. "Well, I probably should never have come back to Australia, to be honest."

According to Cadby, his addiction was a major factor behind that decision. "There was talk with you and Mac at that stage of, instead of coming back to Australia, to go back to the UK. And I wasn't down for that because I was a drug addict at that stage and I just wanted to get home to party."

The Australian also revealed that he was in poor physical condition when he travelled to Germany for Q-School. "Well, put it this way, I had a lot of practice, don't get me wrong, because there was a lot of nights up. And to talk about it now, I'm a bit disgraced. But I am who I am and I've managed to come out on the better side."

Cadby said he spent virtually the entire long-haul journey to Europe sleeping. "When I went to the airport, I think it was like a 36-hour flight or something, I slept. I basically slept from one airport to the other airport and then the big sleep and I woke up and before you knew it, I was in Germany."

"Obviously, there was a couple of break flights where I had to stop at airports, but other than that, I slept. So I was probably in recovery. Didn't feel real good. As you know, I didn't really want to party after the fact of getting a Tour Card. I just wanted to sleep."

Cadby reached the UK Open final in 2018, underlining the considerable talent that had made him one of the sport's most exciting prospects before his career was derailed by problems away from darts.

Cadby also discussed an incident at a branch of the Australian fast-food chain Hungry Jack's.

The Australian explained that he entered the restaurant through the back door in the middle of the night and instructed an employee to open a safe. "I don't know what got me that night. Probably a few days up, no sleep, obviously on the drugs, because I'd never do it if I was straight."

Cadby admitted that he had little understanding of the consequences of his actions at the time. "But I've just entered through the back door to, obviously, the Hungry Jack's, and I just thought it was a perfect opportunity, but looking back now, it was an absolutely stupid opportunity."

He also described how he approached the employee. "I just said to the bloke, I just said, look, open the safe, don't make any funny calls."

The Australian revealed that he had made no attempt whatsoever to conceal his identity. "And mind you, not proud of having that background criminal life, but I didn't even go in there with a balaclava, anything to hide my identity. I just walked in with football shorts on, did have shoes on. There's people, obviously, going around saying I didn't have no shoes on, and just in a singlet at four o'clock in the morning. So, yeah, I wasn't myself."

Cadby took the opportunity during the interview to apologise directly to the employee involved. "And to the bloke that I said it to, probably a little bit scared or whatnot at that time. I do apologise if you ever come out and see this or whatnot. But, yeah, I wasn't myself."

Cadby is now attempting to put his troubled past behind him. The Australian has reunited with his family and is expecting the birth of a son in the near future. He has also been given an opportunity to return to competitive darts on the ADA Tour next year.

Not everyone believes the former top-level player deserves another chance, but Cadby insists he has served his punishment and is determined to change his life. "I believe that I deserve the chance and I've been given the chance. So I'm going to take it as it comes, yeah."