A landlady allowed her pub to be used as a factory sending spice to prisoners and was even captured on camera dancing on a beer keg singing about double dipping drugs. Lorraine Jackson pleaded guilty to allowing the cellar and the bedrooms her pub to be used as a base for the illegal operation.
She also discussed it in messages with her daughter’s prisoner boyfriend who masterminded the scheme. When quizzed by police, she denied any knowledge of the conspiracy but eventually pleaded guilty to allowing the premises of the Gamull pub, Preston, to be used for drug activity, LancsLive reports.
The operation was run by prisoner Asaiah Facey and saw his girlfriend Shannon Jackson send letters dipped in the liquid form of the drug to be posted to the prison. A fake solicitors stamp was used to trick the prison staff into thinking the letters contained legal correspondence and therefore could not be opened.
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It remains unclear how much money was made through the scheme but Preston Crown Court heard that a single sheet of paper could be sold for £900, with multiple sheets sent in each letter. Around 35 letters were linked to Facey and Shannon Jackson’s conspiracy along with payments of £1,300 from one prisoner.
Lorraine Jackson’s attempts to play dumb about the drug factory were refuted by the fact that paraphernalia, such as stamps and receipts, involved in the preparation of the letters was found on open display in the manager’s accommodation of the pub, including in her bedroom. Further evidence was in WhatsApp messages exchanged with Facey on the phone he illegally had in prison.
Lorraine Jackson was not convicted of being part of the drug dealing conspiracy, but that evidence showcased how she was aware of it and led to her guilty plea for allowing the pub to be used for drug activity. Further evidence was found on one of the seized phones in which the landlady, 51, performs a bizarre song and dance routine about drugs.
In the clip she references ‘double dip, triple dip’ - in relation to the methods used to make the sheets stronger and more expensive - she occasionally drifts into a version of Afroman’s 2000 hit ‘Because I got high’.
Her song, seemingly mocking the prisoners who bought the drugs from Facey, was accompanied by an equally jolly dance as Lorraine Jackson stands on a keg and kicks her feet in the air. The video was played in court as the woman was handed a suspended sentence earlier this month.
In comments posted on the LancsLive Facebook page, Lorraine Jackson, who pleaded guilty, said “I wasn’t allowing any of this to happen it’s a load of rubbish”. She added: “Anyone that actually knows me knows I wouldn’t allow this to happen people are entitled to there opinions of me but don’t judge me you actually don’t know me this has been blown all out of proportion as it states I walked free from court that’s it free from court."
Prosecuting, Paul Brookwell told the court: “There was an operation in which drugs, namely spice, were laced into papers in a liquid form. In some cases they will have been dipped once, twice or three times, increasing their strength and value.”
The letters were sent to HMP Northumberland a Rule 39 stamp and the name ABV Solicitors which meant that prison staff weren’t allowed to view the contents. However, they became suspicious and found out the name was fake, leading them to inform the police and the conspiracy be uncovered.
Letters had been sent from post offices around Preston, including one just a couple of doors down from the Longridge Road pub, and most deliveries had been paid for using Shannon Jackson’s bank card. According to Mr Brookwell, police were unable to work out the scale of the operation to identify how much money had been made but 11 letters were intercepted, most of which contained multiple sheets of laced paper.
Describing Lorraine Jackson’s involvement, Mr Brookwell said she was only being prosecuted for permitting the premises to be used and not in relation to a now dropped charge that she was more involved in the conspiracy. But he said it was clear she was aware of what was going on, as evidenced by the items found openly on show in the building and a video of her singing about dipping the paper into drugs.
Defending, David Traynor said Lorraine Jackson, 51, did not benefit financially other than through borrowing money from her daughter. He disputed the judge’s suggestion that the sentencing guidelines should be higher due to the use of business premises as it did not take place in any public areas or use the pub as a front.
“It is entirely different to a barmaid dealing drugs, pretending to sell drinks but actually selling drugs,” he said.
Sentencing, Judge Heather Lloyd criticised answers given by Lorraine Jackson to the author of a pre-sentencing report, saying it showed a denial and lack of remorse for what she had done. She added: “You are the custodian of the Gamull public house where you live with your daughters and your grandchild.
“One of your references says you have made the public house important for the community and you don’t put up with any messing from young people. However, I don’t think the community would be happy to hear you were allowing the premises to be used to peddle drugs, spice is a scourge in the community. I doubt too that the brewery would be happy to hear it.”
Lorraine Jackson admitted the offence in court and was sentenced to 23 weeks, suspended for 12 months, and must complete 100 hours of unpaid work.
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