A Reading-based Instagram content creator and a Dorrington drug dealer were handed heavy jail terms at Lincoln Crown Court on Monday, 8 December. Both pleaded guilty to conspiring to supply class A drugs, namely cocaine.
From Footballer to Felon
Thierry Nevers, 23, is a known Instagram influencer who flaunted his drug dealing lifestyle online. Once a promising footballer, Nevers had a stint with West Ham’s academy on a three-year contract starting May 2021. His contract ended before his August 2025 arrest after leaving the club permanently in January 2024.
Nevers teamed up with Allan Barrass, 50, a local Dorrington dealer who was first flagged by police in June for suspicious activity. Barrass, of Main Street, Dorrington, was caught with a loaded sawn-off shotgun, 40 grams of cocaine, £5,860 in cash, and multiple weapons including a lock knife, an extending baton, and a baseball bat. A cannabis grow was also found in his garage.
Heavy Sentences for Crime Duo
- Allan Barrass: 10 years in prison
- Thierry Nevers: 3 years in prison
Mobile phone records seized from both men revealed extensive communication confirming their drug-dealing conspiracy. Barrass’s firearm posed a serious threat, discovered loaded and unsecured in his bedroom.
Police Crackdown on Class A Supply
“We noticed suspicious activity in June linked to Barrass,” police reported. The investigation revealed Nevers’s frequent trips from Reading to Dorrington, cementing his role in the conspiracy.
Nevers was arrested on 13 August and has been held in custody since. Barrass pleaded guilty to both conspiracy and firearm possession during his November hearing.
This case highlights how social media glamorisation of crime can mask serious criminal activity, now punished with tough sentences.
