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UK: Dope-accused claims trial by 'kangaroo court'

ic South London

Friday 06 Feb 2004

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A CHEF accused of running an Amsterdam-style dope cafe this week claimed he
was being tried in a kangaroo court.

Errol Anderson, 47, was allegedly caught with hundreds of pounds worth of
cannabis stashed under the floorboards of his Stockwell cafe, The Green
Leaf, after a raid in 2002.

Customers at the eatery could pick up patties and spicy jerk chicken from
the front before popping into a discreet backroom for a bag of marijuana,
it is claimed.

Anderson is alleged to have pocketed hundreds of thousands of pounds by
selling the drug, then laundered the money through property investments. He
would also ply his trade at outdoor festivals, selling pot with traditional
Jamaican fare, Inner London Crown Court heard.

But Anderson has denied the allegations, claiming he had no idea people
were using his cafe to sell drugs. He has decided to represent himself in
court after sacking his legal team.

On Wednesday, Neil Smith, a barber, claimed Mr Anderson never lit a
cigarette in his company.

In court, he told Anderson: "I have never seen you smoke anything and I
have never seen you drink either, sir."

Anderson then asked him: "Is it a shame that I end up in a kangaroo court?"

Judge Philpot then interrupted Anderson saying: "You just ask the
questions. Let's leave the kangaroos out of this."

The trial, which began in October, was due to finish in December but legal
setbacks have pushed the date back to March.

The court has heard around UKP230,000 cash was credited to the bank account
Anderson shared with his wife, Audriana Witter.

And he allegedly bought 28,050 packets of kingsize cigarette papers from a
cash and carry.

Anderson and Witter, 49, both of Ribblesdale Road, Streatham, each deny one
charge of conspiring to contravene the Drug Trafficking Act. Estate agent
Gassell Gordon, 55, of Canonbury Road, Forest Hill, who allegedly helped
the pair plough the proceeds of their drug sales into property, also denied
one charge of conspiring to contravene the Drug Trafficking Act.

Witter denied a further eight charges of concealing or transferring the
proceeds of drug trafficking.

Anderson further denies 10 charges of concealing or transferring proceeds
of drug trafficking, three charges of possessing a class-B drug with intent
and one of permitting premises to be used for the supply of a class-B drug.

The trial continues.

 

 

 

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