Cocaine-Rum Suspect Claims Plot To Frame Him

A Romford man accused of killing an unsuspecting mini-cab driver who swigged from a bottle of cocaine-laced rum smuggled from the Caribbean told a jury today he was the victim of a conspiracy to frame him.

Former sprinter Martin Newman, 50, of Wadeville Avenue suggested the plot may go as far as the deputy Prime Minister of St. Lucia and involves drug dealers and corrupt Customs men.

Mini-cab driver Lascelle Malcolm, 63,(pictured) 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.

Croydon Crown Court has heard she was given the bottle by a holiday friend who the prosecution say was persuaded to carry it through customs by Newman.

“This is some sort of conspiracy,” the defendant told the jury from the witness box. “I don’t think I have been treated fairly.”

Contrary to being a ruthless drug smuggler Newman insists he was involved in a three-year anti-drugs crusade and was “set up” to silence him.

In evidence dismissed as “a story of ridiculous fiction” by prosecutor Mr. Oliver Glasgow Newman says CCTV footage at St. Lucia’s airport deliberately avoids identifying the real smuggler.

“I believe the CCTV was deliberately edited,” insisted the defendant who says another man who boarded the flight persuaded an associate to carry the cocaine-filled bottles of rum.

“The scenes shown on the CCTV don’t show all the people that were involved.”

The defendant told the court he tipped-off Customs men in St. Lucia and the UK about drug-smuggling operations on five occasions, but those corrupt officers identified him to dealers.

His account was described as a “fantastic tale” by Mr. Glasgow, who told the jury to ignore it and convict Newman.

He has pleaded not guilty to the manslaughter of Mr. Malcolm, who died on May 26 last year, and importing class A cocaine.

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.

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," Mr. Glasgow told the jury.

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.

Trial continues......