Gareth Raynor’s Bulls career didn’t start in the most auspicious circumstances.

Putting pen to paper on a one-year deal in the back of a pub car park was not exactly how the winger had envisioned securing his playing future.

But having spent much of last year at Her Majesty's pleasure, he was not about to complain.

Sentenced to 15 months in prison after admitting selling fake printer cartridges and computer games on eBay, Raynor finalised the Bradford switch while on day release after the wheels had been set in motion by partner Catriona Thomson and agent Martin Shuttleworth.

“The first time I was allowed out on day release on September 11 was when I signed for Bradford, in the back of a pub car park,” said the 32-year-old, who made a try-scoring debut in the Bulls’ pre-season opener against Halifax on Sunday.

“I’d had an offer to go back to Crusaders but I turned it down because it wasn’t just a case of going out to get paid. I wanted to go out and give everything I could.

“Crusaders wanted me to move over there but I’m at that stage of my career where I didn’t want to drag my family there. If I’d made that decision it would’ve been a selfish one.

“So it was a bonus when my agent told me Bradford were interested. Once we got it all sorted it was a light at the end of the tunnel and no matter how hard it was in there, it was a boost to have that contract to come out to.”

Once signed, Raynor was granted regular day release to take part in pre-season training with the Bulls before finally walking free on New Year’s Day after serving seven months of the sentence handed down last May.

Unsurprisingly, the whole experience has given the former Great Britain star an entirely different perspective on life.

“You prepare for things just in case the worst happens and although I did prepare for the worst, it still doesn’t set you up for when it does happen,” he said.

“It has changed me. I’m never one of those people who takes things for granted in life but the impact it had on my family has made me realise how selfish I was to get myself in that situation.

“It was just stupidity really so I’m probably a lot more sensible now. It was harsh but I’ve learned my lesson.”

Raynor’s final week inside proved particularly jarring after a licence breach saw him moved from Moorland Open, where he served the majority of his time, to Moorland Closed Prison.

He said: “To be honest, for most of my time in prison I treated it like a training camp to pass the time. I spent a lot of time working in the gym.

“There was a bit of a stumbling block because I was in an open prison but I ended up being sent to a closed prison for the last week of my sentence.

“I had to apologise to (Bulls head of physical preparation) Geoff (Evans) because I’d not been able to do any fitness work but luckily he understood!

“I had come back a bit late from one of my visits so I got moved on Christmas Eve and then I was locked up 23 hours a day until my release.

“To be honest, that won’t do me any harm because it was a reality check to let me know what real prison can be like.”