Lacey Tilley, 37, and Darren McKenna, 38, parents of Jack, the boyfriend of Nigel Farage’s daughter Isabelle, have been sentenced after being found guilty of operating a drug business spanning Lewisham borough.
Operating primarily in areas such as Catford, Sydenham, Forest Hill, and Bellingham, Tilley and McKenna ran a lucrative drug operation, dealing in crack cocaine and heroin. McKenna, identified as the “ringleader,” orchestrated the operation, while Tilley was coerced into participating.
The sentencing, which took place at Woolwich Crown Court on Thursday, March 28, saw McKenna handed a six-year and eight-month jail term, while Tilley received a two-year community order. Their co-defendants, Mark Spearpoint, 50, and Daniel Domala, 38, were also sentenced.
Prosecutors outlined McKenna’s role as the head of the operation, with Tilley and Domala acting as “line holders,” directing runners like Spearpoint to distribute drugs to customers.
McKenna’s criminal history includes a previous conviction for possession with intent to supply class A drugs, resulting in a jail sentence in 2017. Barrister Mark Stevens, representing McKenna, stated that McKenna resorted to drug dealing due to financial difficulties.
During the proceedings, it was revealed that Spearpoint, coerced into offending, had a long history of drug dependency and was subjected to threats and violence by his suppliers.
The court also heard about an incident involving Spearpoint, where he attempted to evade arrest by reversing into a police vehicle and damaging parked cars. He was subsequently disqualified from driving until he passed an extended retest.
Judge Charlotte Welsh made a disqualification order for the drugs and cash seized from the defendants, along with a fake Rolex confiscated from McKenna.
The sentencing has brought to light the complex and devastating effects of drug-related crime on individuals and communities, emphasizing the importance of robust Police measures to tackle such illicit activities.
