Convicted killer’s ‘jury tampering’ plot to derail £45m drug smuggling trial from prison cell
Convicted killer’s ‘jury tampering’ plot to derail £45m drug smuggling trial from prison cell
William Todd, a former prisoner with a history of escaping via a grappling hook, orchestrated a scheme to disrupt a £45m international drug trafficking case by falsely claiming jurors had been bribed. The plan aimed to collapse the trial before it could reach a verdict.
Todd received a seven-year sentence for conspiracy to obstruct the legal process after being convicted of perverting the course of justice. His role in the scheme was facilitated through a secret mobile phone, which he operated under the alias ‘Ari Gold’—a name drawn from the character in the TV series *Entourage*.
The case revealed Todd’s deep ties to the organized crime group. He had previously been handed two life sentences in 2001 for the attempted murder of his former business partner, Arthur de Sousa, and the killing of de Sousa’s bodyguard in the Berkshire village of Pangbourne.
Todd’s escape from Winchester prison in 2001 involved cutting through the bars of his cell window and climbing a 30-foot wall using a homemade grappling hook and rope ladder. However, he was recaptured just five days later.
As Todd approached the end of his sentence at Coldingley prison, he devised a complex strategy to help the gang responsible for smuggling 448kg of MDMA to Australia via an industrial digger. The plot was uncovered when Danny Brown, 58, sent an image of his pet French Bulldog Bob to Stefan Baldauf, 66, through encrypted communications on EncroChat. The dog tag in the photo revealed the phone number of Brown’s partner, linking the group to the scheme.
Southwark Crown Court heard Todd had enlisted a 46-year-old man, whose identity was withheld for legal reasons, to act as a contact outside the prison. This individual recorded juror names during their swearing-in, which were later used to fabricate bribes. The false claims, amounting to £20,000, were sent to the court and police in June 2022, casting doubt on the jury’s impartiality.
The jury, court staff, and legal representatives initially faced suspicion. However, inconsistencies in the accusations—including some jurors being discharged and misspelled names—led to the trial being deemed a “dishonest attempt to derail the process.” Prosecutor Charlotte Hole highlighted the risk this posed to innocent parties.
Driver who went on skiing holiday months after killing teens given 14 months’ youth detention
A separate case saw a driver sentenced to 14 months of youth detention for a fatal accident, following a skiing trip months after the incident.
New photo shows Epstein, Andrew and Mandelson together
A recent image captured the presence of Epstein, Andrew, and Mandelson in a single frame, sparking renewed interest in their connections.
Epping council loses latest bid to stop housing asylum seekers at hotel
Epping council’s efforts to prevent asylum seekers from being housed at a local hotel were rejected in the latest attempt.
“This case shows the remarkable lengths that high-harm criminals will go to in order to cheat justice and why they pose the greatest corruption threat to crucial pillars of our society.” – Steve Ahmet, senior investigating officer at the NCA’s Anti-Corruption Unit.
“The intention of the conspiracy was to undermine the entire process of justice.” – Judge Gregory Perrins, who described the plot as a “professional, persistent, and sophisticated attempt” to sabotage the trial and convictions of those involved in serious organized crime.