5 days agoNews TopicsComments Off on Footballers who turned to criminal underworld as ex-prodigy, international star and semi-pro gang jailed over drug plots
SEVERAL footballers who turned to crime following their sporting careers were prosecuted this year.
From an ex-Liverpool prodigy to a Dutch international, high-profile athletes have been implicated in plots to supply drugs – with a number of them being jailed.
Jamie Cassidy who was jailed, along with Nasar Ahmed and Jonathan Cassidy, at Manchester Crown Court
Here, we reveal the former footie stars who have been caught on the wrong side of the law…
Jamie Cassidy
Former Liverpool football prodigy Jamie Cassidy, 46, was jailed for more than 13 years for being involved in a multimillion-pound drug conspiracy.
Earlier this year, Cassidy was jailed – along with two others – for involvement in the plot to supply cocaine, dealing 356kg, worth roughly £26million.
He was sentenced to 13 years and three months.
His brother Jonathan Cassidy, 50, and another man, Nasar Ahmed, 51, were each jailed for 21 years and nine months.
Jamie Cassidy had played at Liverpool FC with Jamie Carragher and Michael Owen as they went on to win the FA Youth Cup in 1996.
He was signed by Liverpool at age nine and earned one of just 16 places at the FA’s centre of excellence, going on at age 15 to become a leading scorer for England’s under-16s.
But early in his senior career, he suffered serious injuries that “entirely wrecked his career”, his defence barrister Paul Greaney KC told Manchester Crown Court.
Jason Pusey
Jason Pusey, 34, was sentenced to 11 years and three months
Gibraltarian former footballer Jason Pusey, 34, was sentenced to 11 years and three months imprisonment on July 2 at Kingston-Upon-Hull Crown Court.
The former Atletico Madrid player was jailed after a Met Police investigation accessed his Encrochat device and discovered an operation using south London gangs to supply cocaine and cannabis with an estimated street value of £3million.
Pusey, of Market Weighton, York, was sentenced for his role in the supply of 107kg of cocaine, 235kg of ketamine, and 447kg of cannabis.
Detective Constable Duncan Askew, responsible for the investigation from the Met’s Specialist Crime team , said“Pusey arranged “large-scale drug deals while also maintaining a well-respected football career”.
He added: “On the surface he appeared as a doting family man – but he was making millions sending commercial scale amounts of controlled drugs to south London gangs.
“He did this all with no thought of the misery and devastation caused in London communities by drug supply, and the violence it leads to.
“Operation Eternal investigations over the last three years have resulted in the Met identifying and jailing major players in the criminal fraternity, and stemming the flow of drugs and guns onto the streets.
“The drugs trade relies upon exploitation and violence to operate and we will continue to relentlessly pursue those involved, and put them before the courts.”
Detectives from the Met closed in on Pusey and began investigating the Encrochat handle ‘IrregularFog’ in June 2020.
EncroChat is an encrypted communication network.
Evidence showed that between March 2020 and June 2020 Pusey was the sole user of the encrypted EncroChat mobile phone and was involved in the whole sale distribution of class A and B drugs.
Passwords matched the names and date of births of Pusey’s family members,the locations of the EncroChat phone matched those of his mobile phone, and messages on the device matched Pusey’s extremely specific travel details.
There was evidence within the EncroChat device which showed that Pusey had been running a very successful drug operation.
The EnchroChat device also had on it many messages regarding the importation of the Class A drugs into the UK and the very detailed routes being used by different importers and couriers.
Pusey was arrested at his home address on June 20, 2023 and charged on June 21 with the offences.
He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class A drug (cocaine), conspiracy to supply Class A (Ketamine), and conspiracy to supply Class B (Cannabis) at Kingston-Upon-Hull Crown Court on Wednesday, 26 July 2023.
Quincy Promes
Quincy Promes of Spartak Moscow in action during a training session
On September 5 this year it was revealed that former Dutch international Quincy Promes was to resume his career in the United Arab Emirates.
He has been fighting extradition to the Netherlands after being sentenced to six years in prison in absentia for drug trafficking.
The striker, who has 50 caps for the Netherlands, joined United FC of Dubai who play in the second tier, the club said on social media.
A Dutch court said earlier this year that Promes had been directly involved with the shipments of 1,360kg of cocaine from Brazil through the port of Antwerp, Belgium, to the Netherlands in two shipments in 2020.
The 32-year-old former Ajax Amsterdam and Sevilla forward was arrested in Dubai in March at the request of the Dutch public prosecution service when he was at a training camp with Russian club Spartak Moscow.
Last year, Promes was also sentenced in absentia to 18 months in jail for assault in connection with a fight in 2020 in which he stabbed a cousin in the knee.
Promes has denied all charges and has filed an appeal in both cases.
In May he was released from detention under restrictions, which include not leaving the United Arab Emirates.
Spartak Moscow terminated his contract at the end of June.
Paul MacDonald
Paul MacDonald pictured between 2006 and 2007
In November 2023, a former Scotland youth team footballer who turned to serious organised crime was jailed for seven years after being convicted of running a massive drug-trafficking operation.
Ex-Hearts player Paul MacDonald, then 35, hid thousands of pounds in drugs money at safe houses in Glasgow and told accomplices in encrypted text messages he could make £1.9million a month from buying and selling cocaine.
In one message, he claimed he and co-accused Craig Balloch would “still get a million quid after bills are paid”.
Another message revealed MacDonald discussing buying and selling expensive watches and purchasing a £250,000 property in Spain.
MacDonald, who played for Hearts, was sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow after pleading guilty to being involved in serious organised crime.
Balloch, 30, of Rutherglen, was imprisoned for seven and a half years after he also admitted being involved in serious organised crime.
Sineidin Corrins, Deputy Procurator Fiscal for Specialist Casework at the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS), said: “These two individuals were responsible for the supply of drugs on a huge scale.
“They failed in their attempts to conceal the money they made from their crimes.
“They are now serving lengthy prison sentences thanks to a successful COPFS prosecution and an extensive police operation to tackle and disrupt serious organised crime.
“I hope that these convictions and the sentence send a strong message to others involved in this kind of criminal behaviour and demonstrates the ability of police and prosecutors to investigate, prepare and prosecute serious and organised crime of this nature.
“We are targeting all people who threaten communities across Scotland, not only drug couriers but also those who direct their movements.
“The Crown will continue working with the police and other agencies as a member of Scotland’s Serious and Organised Crime Taskforce to ensure that these crimes are detected and those responsible prosecuted using all measures at our disposal.”
The court heard how Balloch persuaded one individual to allow her home to be used to store large amounts of cash as part payment of a debt the former footballer was owed.
When police officers searched the property in April 2020, they discovered £444,560 hidden in bags, envelopes and packages, while £146,750 was found at a second property.
But MacDonald and Balloch’s illegal scheme was thwarted after police decoded the encrypted messages and carried out searches at both men’s homes.
Both men were set to be made the subject of confiscation orders under proceeds of crime legislation.
Semi-pros
Melchi Emanuel-Williamson was jailed for 14 yearsJamarl Joseph, 28, of Wembley, who played for FK Senica in Slovakia, got 17 years, six monthsEnfield Town centre-half Adam Pepara, 35, from Solihull, got 24 yearsChesham striker Shaquille Hippolyte-Patrick, 29, of North Kensington, got 18 years, nine months
In May 2024, a gang of semi-pro footballers who planned to supply £260million in drugs were jailed.
Their plot was smashed by police when Luke Skeete, 36, was caught with eight kilos of cocaine in a van.
Officers recovered 123kg of the drug from storage units in West London. Skeete, of West Drayton, and five others admitted conspiracy to supply at Isleworth crown court.
He got 13 years in jail.
Enfield Town centre-half Adam Pepara, 35, from Solihull, got 24 years.
Chesham striker Shaquille Hippolyte-Patrick, 29, of North Kensington, got 18 years, nine months.
Jamarl Joseph, 28, of Wembley, who played for FK Senica in Slovakia, got 17 years, six months.
Harrow Borough FC’s Andrew Harewood, 34, of North Acton, got 16 years.
Margate’s Melchi Emanuel- Williamson, 29, of North Acton, got 14 years.
5 days agoNews TopicsComments Off on English Open Snooker 2024 LIVE RESULTS: Allen vs Higgins in thrilling last-16 tie on NOW, Judd Trump THROUGH – updates
THE English Open 2024 is rolling on at speed – and there are some thrilling last-16 ties taking place today!
Defending champion Judd Trump secured his spot in the quarter-finals after beating Zhengyi Fan 4-2 this evening.
Yesterday, John Higgins beat David Gilbert 4-1 to set up a clash with world No 3 Mark Allen, while former world champion Luca Brecel crashed out following a narrow 4-3 defeat to Pang Junxu.
On Tuesday night, Ronnie O’Sullivan was eliminated after he suffered a shock defeat to He Guoqiang – who is now advanced to the last 16 as well.
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Ghanaian gospel musician and pastor Sonnie Badu has expressed disappointment over the neglect he faced from his fellow gospel artists following a severe injury in December 2023. Speaking in a recent interview with Joy Prime, Badu revealed that none of his colleagues in the gospel fraternity checked on him during his recovery. “Not even a ... Read more
The Star Wars Jedi series has been pretty popular since it debuted back in 2019, and the coming installment of the third game is likely to show just as much promise as the first two games in the series. It’s also reportedly going to be the last game in the series, according to EA. The […]
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5 days agoNews TopicsComments Off on I’ve been with my husband 25 years & never had an orgasm… he has no idea & telling him would rock our entire marriage
LYING back on the pillows post-sex, I hug my husband tightly.
GettyThe married mum says it would be horrible for her husband to hear the truth and it would rock the foundations of their marriage[/caption]
The fake orgasm scene in When Harry Met SallyRexThe frustrated wife does not think there is anything her husband can do to change the reality of having to fake orgasmsAlamy
It’s not a When Harry Met Sally-style performance, screaming and banging the headboard — just a question of catching my breath and moaning in the right places.
It’s something I’ve done ever since I’ve been with him.
And after 25 years of sex that’s never really been better than “nice” or “pleasant”, it would be too difficult to broach it now.
It would be horrible for him to hear and would rock the foundations of our marriage.
It would make him feel inadequate and question whether I have lied about anything else. I haven’t.
And I don’t think there’s anything Simon could do to make it work.
It’s not as if I’m crying out for something kinky like bondage to tip me over the edge. I think our bodies just don’t match.
I know it is not because I’m incapable of orgasms.
I’ve had plenty of “rip your clothes off” sex in my time and know the dizzying heights I can reach.
After 25 years of sex that’s never really been better than ‘nice’ or ‘pleasant,’ it would be too difficult to broach it now.
When I met Simon I was in my second year at university in Leeds and we were in the pub.
He knew people on my sociology course and we got chatting.
I had a few beers and we started snogging so I invited him back to my room.
Interestingly we didn’t have sex that night.
We lay in bed chatting instead.
I went away liking him enormously — he’s a great person.
We arranged to meet up the following week and it continued from there. We had sex on our third meeting and it was . . . fine.
Drunk one-night stands
I wasn’t hugely experienced, he was only my second lover and I hadn’t orgasmed with my first boyfriend either.
Simon turned me on, and I enjoyed it so I presumed climaxing would come with time and there were occasions when I tried to convince myself that I had.
Aside from the sex, we developed an amazing relationship — he’s a lovely man, kind and considerate and endlessly supportive.
Early on I felt this was the man I would spend my life with, and even now I know we have one of the happiest marriages imaginable.
Having said that, we did split up shortly after we finished our degrees.
At times I look back and wish I’d said something, but it wasn’t like his technique was off. We just didn’t have that all-important phwoar factor.
I was going to teacher training college in London and he was on a work placement elsewhere and wanted to be free.
Though I was upset, we agreed to remain friends.
In the following three years I slept with seven people.
Two left me cold — they were drunk one-night stands that I regret.
One was a fling with an older man where the sex was good.
Four were friends of friends who I ended up having relationships with.
It was with the second of them that I finally had an orgasm and understood what it was all about.
I realised that the twinge I’d felt with Simon wasn’t close to the breathtaking orgasm I could have.
The relationship didn’t work but the sex was phenomenal. And it was like that with my next two relationships too.
When Simon came home after two years, we started seeing each other sporadically as friends.
Occasionally we’d get drunk and end up in bed together.
I was 25 when I got back together with Simon properly.
He was then, and still is, the man I picture getting old with. It sounds odd, but I don’t think I really contemplated the sex part — it wasn’t high on my list of priorities.
We laughed and I loved him.
Not actually having an orgasm didn’t worry me — I thought it was just a matter of time.
At times I look back and wish I’d said something, but it wasn’t like his technique was off.
We just didn’t have that all-important phwoar factor.
So in a way it would be pointless. And I never felt as though I was settling, I was completely sure that I wanted to be married to him.
We wed in 2008 when I was 27, and went on honeymoon to Italy and, like all newlyweds, we were at it like rabbits.
Yet still an orgasm eluded me.
I fell pregnant a month later and we now have two sons, aged 15 and 13. The early years passed in a haze.
We still had sex but not very often.
And I always pretended I loved it more than I did.
He occasionally asks if I’m satisfied or whether he can finish and I will always reassure him that I’m there.
The last time I did that was about five years ago — it never helped.
Lacy underwear
And now we rarely make love at all.
The last time was nearly two years ago. I don’t miss it.
We do talk about it occasionally and say we should do it more often, but then we just roll over and sleep.
I do wonder sometimes if it’s the same for him — he does orgasm but I’m not sure it’s incredible for him — more a reaction to the mechanics of it.
It’s different for men.
The other day a girlfriend was laughing that she’d had a phenomenal quickie with her husband in their lunch break at home… it was a shock and made me think.
I remember with previous lovers, lying there breathless, sweaty and sated and not being able to talk.
It’s never been like that for either of us.
Ironically, one of the reasons I’ll never tell him that I fake it is because I know how hurt I’d be to hear the same thing from him.
Sometimes I look back wistfully on the passionate encounters I’ve had.
The other day a girlfriend was laughing that she’d had a phenomenal quickie with her husband in their lunch break at home.
I don’t generally talk about sex with my friends but I’d presumed they were all the same as me and had a take-it-or-leave-it attitude.
So it was a shock and made me think.
And I do worry that I’ll feel differently once the children have left home and we aren’t so busy.
Maybe then I’ll long for passion in my life and it will ruin everything. I hope I don’t as I adore my husband.
Out of all our friends I think we’ve got one of the most successful marriages.
We rarely argue, we’re on the same page with the way we bring up our children, he’s loving and giving.
He’s the most wonderful man alive, and missing out on orgasms is a small price to pay for being with him.
GettyThe woman thought most peers had a take-it-or-leave-it attitude to sex, until one of her pals enthused about a phenomenal quickie with her husband in their lunch break at home[/caption]
GettyThe woman remembers sex with previous lovers left her breathless, sweaty and sated and unable to talk[/caption]
Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki has reaffirmed his assertion that Saturday’s governorship election is a “do or die affair,” despite facing backlash from opposition members and critics. In an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday, Obaseki clarified his controversial statement, arguing that the stakes are high for the people of Edo State if […]
GettyDaniel Dubois’ trainer Don Charles is sick with flu ahead of this Saturday’s fight[/caption]
ReutersAnthony Joshua and Dubois faced-off on Thursday, with Charles absent[/caption]
Promoter Frank Warren has confirmed the cash crisis – but insists Charles was absent from last night’s press conference due to illness.
“But that is not my business that’s their business. I spoke to Don, Stan and Daniel.
“Don is ill with the flu and in bed. He wanted to come to the weigh-in and I told him not to and to leave it until Saturday.
“If Daniel caught it on Saturday, the symptoms won’t hit him until the following day.”
IBF king Dubois, 27, said: “As long as he is in my corner on fight night, I will be fine. Everything is good.”
And turning his attention to Joshua, 34, he added: “I need to take him back to that dark place and make him uncomfortable in there, make him break down in the ring.
“He’s ripe for the taking now. I’m on the rise, I’ve got the momentum on my side.
“No more words, just fighting, punches. I’m ready to fight and destroy.”
Joshua is a heavy favourite to claim his fifth win in as many appearances at Wembley to become a three-time heavyweight champion.
Joshua vs Dubois fight predictions
THIS weekend Wembley will witness one of the biggest all-British fights of all-time.
But who will emerge victorious under the famous arch? Some of the biggest names in boxing have been having their say…
Oleksandr Usyk: “My favourite is Anthony Joshua but I am very bad at predictions. But I will predict Anthony Joshua.”
Dillian Whyte: “I just think that it’s one of those fights where it is a genuine 50/50 fight in my opinion.”
Joe Joyce: “I was initially edging with Joshua but I don’t know, Dubois is coming on.”
Frazer Clarke: “As heavy-handed as Dubois is and as good a fighter as he’s becoming, I still have to go for Joshua.”
Francis Ngannou: “Even though Joshua lost against Usyk twice and Dubois fought Usyk and almost knocked him down and almost won, I would still give this to Joshua.”
Th
