Today, he is an award-winning community leader and life coach who, as the face of Buttabean Motivation, helps literally thousands of ordinary people achieve their goals. He provides targeted health and fitness programmes, helps young people find jobs, and runs a foodshare for those in need.
But it wasn't always like that.
He has overcome poverty, obesity, intergenerational trauma, depression, the lure of a life of crime and his own demons.
Like Dave says, "I've been at the bottom and I've been at the top, and everywhere in between ... If I can do it, you can. No excuses."
This is his story.