Juror declared Coventry drug dealer 'not guilty' in trial 'fix'

The Old Bailey jury was told Leslie Allen was jailed in 2018 after being convicted at his previous trial

A juror tried to "fix" a drug kingpin's trial by declaring to other jurors "not guilty, not guilty" before discussing the case, a court heard.

Damien Drackley was allegedly promised £5,000 to sway jurors over Leslie Allen's case at Warwick Crown Court.

But the plot "unravelled" when other jurors sent notes to the trial judge, the prosecution said.

Mr Drackley, Allen, Laurence Hayden and Mark Walker all deny conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

The Old Bailey heard it was part of a "concerted attempt" by 66-year-old Allen, from Coventry, to evade justice in 2018 when he was caught with £150,000 of cocaine and cannabis.

While on bail, he allegedly also got two witnesses to lie for him with one of them winking at 37-year-old Mr Drackley from the witness box.

There was a "running commentary" between Mr Drackley, his mother Lorraine Frisby, Allen, his intermediaries including Mr Walker, 57, and defence witnesses Mr Hayden, 53, both from Coventry, and Daniel Porter, prosecutor Tony Badenoch KC said.

"It was, in short, a fix," he added.

'Abrupt and disruptive'

In most circumstances there is a complete bar on what jurors discuss in the jury room but this case involved "exceptional circumstances", Mr Badenoch said.

Jurors told investigators Mr Drackley, from Nuneaton, put himself forward to be their foreman but received one vote and was described as "abrupt and disruptive".

Jurors noted he had knowledge of the area and a gym which featured in the case and, when challenged, allegedly said he "had driven through the area".

But he did not tell the court of his knowledge and allegedly failed to turn his mobile phone off as instructed, instead leaving it on silent mode, the Old Bailey was told.

'Best to front it up'

Mr Badenoch said Mr Hayden winked when he came to give evidence and Mr Drackley raised what had happened with other jurors who confirmed they had seen it.

"Why Damien Drackley said that only he knows, but one obvious explanation is that he knew perfectly well others had seen it and thought it might be best to front it up, leave the impression that he was as surprised as them so to speak," he told the court.

Jurors have been told Allen's attempts to evade justice failed and he was jailed for 13 years in 2018.

Jurors heard Frisby, 55, from Birmingham, has already admitted conspiracy to pervert the course of justice, and Porter had since died.

The trial continues.