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number 4: Scottish, Autistic and in a Chinese Prison
Moving from Glasgow to Hong Kong was the opportunity to reinvent himself after years of depression, violence and self-hatred he suffered as an undiagnosed Autistic. The late 1980s were a boom time in Hong Kong, and he landed right at the end of it. As a 16year old boy life couldn't have been more exciting. He started at the renowned Island School and immediately joined in with the new lifestyle he could have only dreamed about before. But the parties got out of control. Unable to spend the evenings at home due to his parent's alcoholism he spent them in Lan Kwai Fong. Hong Kong Islands party zone. One night he was offered number 4 (heroin) and within weeks had been thrown out of home and was living on the streets begging to feed his habit. Things quickly went really bad and he found himself sentenced to years in a Chinese Prison. After quickly witnessing the barbarity of his situation when someone was murdered in front of him, he survived many attempts on his own life, multiple stints in solitary confinement and his lack of Chinese language to become a respected member of the prison gang. He survived and finally was released. This book charts the whoe story in a frank and honest way.
282 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 6, 2019
3 people are currently reading
11 people want to read
About the author
Stewart Burton
16 books1 followerStewart struggled his whole life trying to fit in.
Suffering from childhood depression since the age of 7, he was avoided by his peers, bullied by his teachers, and neglected by his family.
After his father got a job in Hong Kong, the family relocated to the Island in 1989 and Stewart’s life instantly improved. New friends, new adventures, and a girlfriend, or two.
Stewart’s partying increased but so did his self-belief. After finally standing up to his abusive father, he was kicked out. On the streets, he fell into drugs and then into the arms of a friendly Triad gang leader.
Now hooked on Number 4, the strongest heroin on the planet, he carried out business for the Triad. Drug distribution and armed robberies led to Stewart’s capture and a sentence in Maximum Security Prison.
It was only after he returned to Hong Kong in 2017, for the first time after his release from prison, that Stewart finally decided to write a book. His first attempt came only from memory of the events 30 years before and not believing anyone would read it, it was poorly edited and designed.
Almost immediately after it went on sale on Amazon, Stewart’s inbox filled with so many amazing messages from friends he knew all those years ago. And sales climbed quickly. Every review loved the story but also criticised the editing.
Stewart decided to remove it from Amazon and rewrite it. Unfortunately, that was delayed by some of the most challenging years of his life. He split from his wife, then COVID caused him to be separated from his boys for nearly a year. He also suffered the loss of a daughter, Juno, and for good measure, he was diagnosed with cancer and suffered a heart attack.
With the help of a recently rediscovered 1990 diary, “Number 4” has now been made into the story it should have always been. Now in 2 parts, Stewart has gone into more detail, hopefully giving the reader more insight into this personal experience.
Some readers said the story could make a great movie, although Stewart never believed them until one day when a screenwriter in New York contacted him. The screenplay for the pilot episode has just been completed.
Suffering from childhood depression since the age of 7, he was avoided by his peers, bullied by his teachers, and neglected by his family.
After his father got a job in Hong Kong, the family relocated to the Island in 1989 and Stewart’s life instantly improved. New friends, new adventures, and a girlfriend, or two.
Stewart’s partying increased but so did his self-belief. After finally standing up to his abusive father, he was kicked out. On the streets, he fell into drugs and then into the arms of a friendly Triad gang leader.
Now hooked on Number 4, the strongest heroin on the planet, he carried out business for the Triad. Drug distribution and armed robberies led to Stewart’s capture and a sentence in Maximum Security Prison.
It was only after he returned to Hong Kong in 2017, for the first time after his release from prison, that Stewart finally decided to write a book. His first attempt came only from memory of the events 30 years before and not believing anyone would read it, it was poorly edited and designed.
Almost immediately after it went on sale on Amazon, Stewart’s inbox filled with so many amazing messages from friends he knew all those years ago. And sales climbed quickly. Every review loved the story but also criticised the editing.
Stewart decided to remove it from Amazon and rewrite it. Unfortunately, that was delayed by some of the most challenging years of his life. He split from his wife, then COVID caused him to be separated from his boys for nearly a year. He also suffered the loss of a daughter, Juno, and for good measure, he was diagnosed with cancer and suffered a heart attack.
With the help of a recently rediscovered 1990 diary, “Number 4” has now been made into the story it should have always been. Now in 2 parts, Stewart has gone into more detail, hopefully giving the reader more insight into this personal experience.
Some readers said the story could make a great movie, although Stewart never believed them until one day when a screenwriter in New York contacted him. The screenplay for the pilot episode has just been completed.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
July 16, 2025
How an eighteen year old Scottish boy survives a brutal Chinese prison is interesting enough but what makes this book really fascinating is Stewart’s account of how he got there in the first place: his childhood dogged by undiagnosed autism and neglect from parents and teachers.
The two narratives alternate from chapter to chapter giving a heartbreaking juxtaposition as you know where the boy will end up: the prison, a true hell on earth.
The prose is direct, evocative and effective, like he’s talking to you directly with honesty. It felt like he was unburdening himself and I, as the reader, was his confidant.
The two narratives alternate from chapter to chapter giving a heartbreaking juxtaposition as you know where the boy will end up: the prison, a true hell on earth.
The prose is direct, evocative and effective, like he’s talking to you directly with honesty. It felt like he was unburdening himself and I, as the reader, was his confidant.
Displaying 1 of 1 review