A father-of-two died in front of his terrified son after innocently drinking pure liquid cocaine dissolved inside a bottle of rum, which a smuggler duped a pal into carrying into the U.K. a court heard yesterday (Wednesday).
Mini-cab driver Lascelle Malcolm, 63, of Rutland Gardens, Haringey, North London, was given the St. Lucian 'Bounty' rum as a gift for picking up a friend from her holiday trip to the Caribbean island.
She was given the bottle by a holiday friend who the prosecution say was persuaded to carry it through Customs by 50 year-old Martin Newman, of Wadeville Avenue, Romford, Essex.
He has pleaded not guilty at Croydon Crown Court to the manslaughter of Mr. Malcolm (pictured) and importing class A cocaine.
"In the early hours of May 26, last year Mr. Malcolm rang the emergency services because of chest pains and a headache, informing the doctors at the Whittington Hospital he had drunk Guinness and a shot of rum the night before," prosecutor Mr. Oliver Glasgow told the jury.
Tragically Mr. Malcolm was discharged because doctors could not find anything seriously wrong with him.
"The true nature of the illness had yet to be discovered and at home he suffered a cardiac arrest and collapsed in front of his terrified son," added Mr. Glasgow.
Friends and family paid their respects the next day and two mourners, including the dead man's 40 year-old nephew, toasted Mr. Malcolm with the cocaine-laced rum and were rushed to hospital after collapsing with seizures.
"The bottle they poured alcohol from was the same bottle of rum. They noticed an unpleasant taste and spat it out.
"It was a horrifying turn of events and the family asked: 'How could three men fall ill'."
Police analysed the bottle of rum. "Pure cocaine had been dissolved into the alcohol. The cocaine within it was lethal. A teaspoon could cause an overdose," explained Mr. Glasgow.
Mr. Malcolm's friend, Antoinette Corliss, who he had collected from the airport told police the bottle of rum was given to her by friend Michael Lawrence, a native St. Lucian, who she had travelled back from the Caribbean with.
She confirmed it had been given to him by the defendant at the airport.
"The defendant approached Mr. Lawrence and explained he needed help with taking rum back to the U.K. He had ten bottles and could not take that many in.
"Mr. Lawrence agreed and said he would return the bottles to the defendant back in the U.K," said Mr. Glasgow.
When Mr. Lawrence's bags showed excess weight Newman allegedly claimed he worked in St. Lucian immigration and could get the charges waived.
Tragically Mr. Lawrence did not hand the bottle over to Newman in London, but gave it to Ms. Corliss, who presented it as a gift to the Mr. Malcolm.
"The defendant was involved in the importation of liquid cocaine and the death of Lascelle Malcolm was a result of his gross negligence," Mr. Glasgow told the jury.
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