Man who lost everything ditches 'normal' UK life to search for diamonds in Africa

Paul worked as a prison guard for 14 years

A former Dartmoor prison guard who had a mental health breakdown has gone on to recover and plan an extraordinary adventure searching for diamonds in Africa.

Paul Smith-Wightman was working at Devonport Dockyard when he lost everything - including his job, marriage and home - and fell into debt. The 53-year-old found himself spiralling into an "incredibly tough" three-year-period.

But Paul picked himself up and turned his new-found strength into an exciting project. As he came through the depression years after, Paul felt like he needed to “do something different”.

He said he wanted to “occupy his mind” and started to plan an expedition to Africa - to search for diamonds and gold. Paul said: “What pushed me to this adventure was an incredibly tough three years after a marriage breakdown, a mental breakdown and battling with depression and anxiety and losing everything.

“I needed to challenge myself and try and rebuild my life. I went out there on January 11 this year and have been going over and back since then. I've put everything I have into this expedition.”

Paul said there have been “many adventures” with lots of interesting things happening along the way. He said that “taking a risk to change your life for the better” and doing something “new after the huge life changer” has helped him through tough times.

Paul said that spending time in a different culture and society has been refreshing, despite the “huge spiders” he’s encountered in Africa. The former prison guard used to work on offshore oil rigs, so he’s used to travelling, but the catalyst for this expedition was his life situation - and he hasn’t looked back.

While in Sierra Leone, Paul also aims to help the community there. Paul said that all the workers on the mines “get a fair wage and are well looked after” he added that “new rules are in place since the blood diamond scandal”.

He said: “You get to know people there, living out there you do get to see the good and the bad, but mining officers aim to stop exploitation. There's a lot of local women searching for diamonds too.”

Paul had to “establish a working relationship” with a diamond trader in Africa in order to proceed with this unusual adventure. He is self employed and has “adhered to all procedures” in the UK to ensure all is legal.

The processing of huge amounts of gravel takes time, the gravel is washed to uncover the jewels in the matter. Paul said that some diamonds are clear but others are orange or green.

The biggest find so far is a five carat diamond, but there’s over 300 tonnes of “diamond bearing gravel” waiting to be processed next year, when he’s due to return. Paul is hoping that a valuable find may be waiting for him in the unprocessed matter.

He said: “Hopefully, hiding in this diamond bearing gravel is the 60-Carat plus diamond that will smash my goals and get me a little house by the sea. We shall see, either way this adventure has helped put me back on track.”

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