Latest news with #KinderEggs
Scotsman
04-07-2025
- Scotsman
Drug runners who planned to smuggle drugs into prison inside Kinder Eggs sentenced at Edinburgh court
Two men who ran a drug-running operation across West Lothian, Glasgow and Lanarkshire have been sentenced to a total of 13 years and seven months behind bars. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Charles McAllister, 53, was convicted of directing others including co-accused Stephen Lamb to commit offences including the sale and supply of controlled drugs, which included cocaine, heroin, Spice, cannabis and etizolam. Lamb, 54, was convicted of being concerned in serious organised crime which included the sale and supply of controlled drugs, including cocaine, Spice, cannabis and etizolam. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Their criminal scheme included plans to smuggle drugs into a prison hidden inside Kinder Eggs. On Thursday, July 3, both men were sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh after pleading guilty to their roles in serious organised crime between December 2022 and March 2023. On Thursday, July 3, Charles McAllister, and Stephen Lamb were sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh | National World Sineidin Corrins, Depute Procurator Fiscal for specialist casework at the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS), said their conviction has 'made communities safer' and 'underscores our determination to continue to disrupt serious organised crime'. Ms Corrins said: 'This is a significant prosecution. These two individuals played pivotal roles in a coordinated operation to distribute illegal and harmful drugs. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'We will continue to collaborate with our partners as a member of Scotland's Serious and Organised Crime Taskforce to tackle serious organised crime and this kind of case highlights the extensive work that has been ongoing against these groups.' McAllister, of Glasgow, was sentenced to eight years and three months in prison after admitting directing serious organised crime. He was also linked to the Escalade serious organised crime group. Lamb, also of Glasgow, will spend five years and four months behind bars after pleading guilty to being involved in serious organised crime. Evidence secured by the police revealed that McAllister was issuing direct instructions to Lamb over the sale and supply of controlled drugs including those for onward transmission to prison and confirmed that Lamb was carrying out those tasks. In addition, McAllister directed others in the storage, preparation, transportation and movement of controlled drugs. The court was told McAllister was also involved in directing others to conceal criminal property – specifically money and jewellery – associated with the proceeds of crime. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad On one occasion, McAllister was directing Lamb to hand over £25,000 to a shop to be laundered. Other evidence related to conversations about smuggling drugs into prisons hidden inside balloons and Kinder Eggs. On March 8, 2023, McAllister was also heard discussing the delivery of cocaine and heroin. He also referred to a 'stash house' into which he planned to install a woman and a child to make the property appear legitimate and discussed obtaining 20kg of cocaine with an associate. Lamb was eventually arrested in March 2023 after a search of his home revealed a quantity of drugs which included a quantity of Kinder Eggs containing drugs wrapped in Sellotape. The following day, McAllister was also arrested after police recovered numerous sim cards, phones and small quantities of cash during a search of his house. When police carried out a subsequent search of his sister's house, they found a bag that had previously been dropped off by McAllister. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Within that bag was a mobile phone linked to McAllister which contained incriminating messages that demonstrated his involvement in the source and supply of cocaine and adulterant. The bag also contained bottles of THC, cash totalling £10,000, scales containing traces of cocaine and four watches valued cumulatively between £23,000 and £30,000. Both men will now face confiscation under Proceeds of Crime laws to recover monies illegally obtained. McAllister has also been made subject of a Serious Crime Prevention Order for a period of five years on his release from custody which is designed to prevent him from re-offending.
Glasgow Times
03-07-2025
- Glasgow Times
Woman in court charged with murder after death in Glasgow
Johnson Ewere's body was discovered after police were called to a property in the Charles Street area of Royston at around 10.25pm on Sunday, June 29. Amanda Forbes, of East Dunbartonshire, has since appeared at Glasgow Sheriff Court charged in connection with the 40-year-old's death. READ MORE: Glasgow duo planned to smuggle drugs into prisons inside Kinder Eggs READ MORE: Update after 999 crews including Coastguard helicopter spotted at incident Johnson (Image: Police Scotland) The 35-year-old has been charged with murder. During her appearance on Thursday, July 3, she made no plea. She has been remanded in custody and will appear in court again in the next eight days.
The Herald Scotland
03-07-2025
- The Herald Scotland
Duo who planned to smuggle drugs in Kinder Eggs jailed for 13 years
McAllister, 53, was convicted of directing others – including Lamb – to commit offences including the sale and supply of controlled drugs, which included cocaine, heroin, spice, cannabis and etizolam. Lamb was convicted of being concerned in serious organised crime, including the sale and supply of the same drugs. Their scheme also included plans to smuggle drugs into a prison hidden inside Kinder Eggs. They were both sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh after pleading guilty to their roles. Read More McAllister, of Glasgow, was sentenced to eight years and three months in prison while Lamb, also of Glasgow, will spend five years and four months behind bars. Sineidin Corrins, Depute Procurator Fiscal for Specialist Casework at the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS), said: 'This is a significant prosecution. These two individuals played pivotal roles in a coordinated operation to distribute illegal and harmful drugs. 'With this conviction, we have removed these drugs from the streets and made communities safer. 'This successful prosecution underscores our determination to continue to disrupt serious organised crime. 'We will continue to collaborate with our partners as a member of Scotland's Serious and Organised Crime Taskforce to tackle serious organised crime and this kind of case highlights the extensive work that has been ongoing against these groups.' McAllister was linked to the Escalade serious organised crime group with evidence secured by police revealing he was issuing direct instructions to Lamb. In addition, McAllister directed others in the storage, preparation, transportation and movement of controlled drugs. The court was told McAllister was also involved in directing other to conceal criminal property, specifically money and jewellery, associated with the proceeds of crime. On one occasion, McAllister was directing Lamb to hand over £25,000 to a shop to be laundered. Other evidence related to conversations about smuggling drugs into prisons hidden inside balloons and Kinder Eggs. McAllister was also heard discussing the delivery of cocaine and heroin, while he also referred to a 'stash house' where he planned to have a woman and child live to make the property seem legitimate. Lamb was eventually arrested in March 2023 after a search of his home revealed a quantity of drugs which included a quantity of Kinder Eggs containing drugs wrapped in Sellotape. The following day, McAllister was also arrested after police recovered numerous sim cards, phones and small quantities of cash during a search of his house. When police carried out a subsequent search of his sister's house, they found a bag that had previously been dropped off by McAllister. Within that bag was a mobile phone linked to McAllister which contained incriminating messages that demonstrated his involvement in the source and supply of cocaine and adulterant. The bag also contained bottles of THC, cash totalling £10,000, scales containing traces of cocaine and four watches valued cumulatively between £23,000 and £30,000.
The Journal
15-06-2025
- The Journal
Drug dealer released just four weeks into 18 month term due to prison overcrowding crisis
IRISH JAILS ARE so overcrowded that prison authorities are left with no other option but to release long sentence prisoners despite convictions for serious offences, The Journal has learned. Multiple security and civil service sources have confirmed that a number of prisoners, including those suspected to be members of Organised Crime Groups, have been released. Prison sources said that prisoners who have received sentences for non-violent offences, like cases associated with large drugs seizures, are being let out ahead of time. The calculus used for the release of the prisoners is that they are not classified as a danger to society. The Department of Justice has claimed they are on 'temporary release' but the reality, according to multiple sources, is that these prisoners will remain free. One of those prisoners is Stephanie Treacy from Limerick – she was sentenced to 18 months in prison for her part in a drug dealing operation in the city's St Mary's Park, which is known locally as The Island Field or Kings Island. She served just four weeks of that two year sentence before being released by prison authorities – both Garda and Prison Service sources have confirmed that it was due to measures to limit overcrowding. Stephanie Treacy and her brother Owen Treacy, who was identified in court by gardaí as being involved in organised crime in the city, were arrested after a lengthy garda operation. Owen Treacy has 140 previous convictions for a variety of offences and is a member of a well known family in the city. He and his sister were caught after a long-term garda covert surveillance operation. Gardaí told a Limerick court in April that the Treacys and some associates accessed the roofs of houses on St Munchin's Street between 18 July and 2 August, 2019. They were placing and removing objects under roof tiles – the gardaí confirmed this was where their drugs were located. On 2 August, 2019, Gardaí executed search warrants on three properties at St Munchin's Street, as well as an address associated with the Treacys at St Ita's Street. There they seized more than €32,000 in cash and cheques, as well as more than 100 drug deals that were ready for distribution. The Treacys were placing the drugs inside the plastic toy holders found in Kinder Eggs before selling them on. Owen Treacy Junior has recently been convicted of a threat to kill a Limerick based garda. He got a three month sentence for that which would run consecutive to his three-and-a-half years for the Kinder Egg drugs scheme with Stephanie. Advertisement Owen Treacy will serve his sentence but his sister is out and free and back in Limerick City, having served a fraction of what the judge in the circuit court deemed appropriate. Stephanie had received a three year headline sentence, with the final 18 months suspended. A view of Limerick city looking up the Shannon towards Kings Island. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo Overcrowding The Journal has previously reported that record-high levels of overcrowding inside Ireland's prisons are increasing the risk of violence , seeing incarcerated people sleeping on the floor and creating a difficult working environment for staff . There is now a real risk that the Irish Prison Service will not be able to transport all prisoners for court hearings, as overcrowding is putting pressure on staff to meet their escort abilities. Director General of the Irish Prison Service Caron McCaffrey warned the Department of Justice in a letter last year that the system is at 'tipping point' in respect of its ability to carry out escorts to court and maintain safe staffing standards inside its facilities. Her letter told the Department: 'Current levels of overcrowding are exacerbated by resource constraints due to ever-increasing demands for escorts.' We asked the Irish Prison Service and the Department of Justice for comment on the release of prisoners and the specific case of Stephanie Treacy. The Irish Prison Service said they do not comment on individual cases. The Department of Justice classified the freeing of prisoners as 'temporary release'. 'The Irish Prison Service must accept into custody all people committed to prison by the Courts. As such, the Irish Prison Service has no control over the numbers committed to custody at any given time. 'Where the number of people in custody exceeds the maximum capacity in any prison, officials in the Irish Prison Service make every effort to deal with this through a combination of inter-prison transfers and structured Temporary Release. 'The legislative basis for temporary release is set out in the Criminal Justice Act 1960, as amended by the Criminal Justice (Temporary Release of Prisoners) Act 2003. 'Decisions in relation to temporary release are considered on a case by case basis and the safety of the public is paramount when those decisions are made.' Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Wales Online
21-05-2025
- Wales Online
Mum jailed after what she did with two Kinder Eggs at a festival
Mum jailed after what she did with two Kinder Eggs at a festival After entering the security tent, Sian Bullock was stopped by security staff Drug dogs detected the Kinder Eggs on Sian Bullock (Image: Facebook ) A woman has been jailed after she was found with Kinder Eggs filled with drugs at a festival in 2023. Mum-of-four, Sian Bullock attended Creamfields festival in Cheshire on August 26, 2023. The 35-year-old was stopped by security after going into the security tent at the north gate entrance due to a positive indication by a drugs dog, Chester Crown Court heard. She was then taken to a private area where she admitted to officers that she had two Kinder Egg containers inside her vagina that contained 64 MDMA tablets. When being questioned, Bullock, of Thornton-Cleveleys in Fylde, claimed that she did not know what the drugs were, but admitted that she had bought them for personal use, the court heard. She was later charged with possession with intent to supply class A drugs. Don't miss a court report by signing up to our crime newsletter here Creamfields is attended by around 80,000 people - and will feature the likes of Fatboy Slim and Calvin Harris this year (Image: Liverpool Echo ) Bullock appeared in court on Friday, May 16 where she pleaded guilty to the offence and was sentenced to three years in prison, the Manchester Evening News reported. Article continues below The judge said during the sentencing hearing that although Bullock had admitted her guilt and the fact that she was a mother of four, she knew what she was doing was wrong . The judge also sated that they had no option but to give her a custodial sentence. Following Bullock's sentencing, Police Constable Lisa Green of Cheshire Constabulary, said: "Every year, we and the Creamfields events and security teams do our utmost to ensure that everyone attending the festival can have a safe and enjoyable time, and for the most part festivalgoers have respected the laws. "Bullock will have no doubt been aware of these laws and the restrictions at Creamfields and would have had ample opportunity to re-think her actions before it was too late, with amnesty bins and surrender points placed at all festival entries, but she decided to run the risk - which did not pay off. 'As a result of her selfish actions that day, she is now behind bars and her four children will now be without their mother for a considerable period of time. "Anyone who, like Bullock, decides to risk bringing illegal drugs into Cheshire should seriously reconsider their choices, as we will always take swift and robust action, and they will be dealt with to the full extent of the law." Article continues below
