A "reckless and greedy" drug smuggler who killed an innocent mini-cab driver who drank 100% pure liquid cocaine imported by unsuspecting mules inside bottles of Caribbean rum was jailed for twenty years today (Wednesday).
Father-of-two Lascelle Malcolm, 63, of Rutland Gardens, Haringey, North London died in agony in front of his terrified son after drinking from a bottle of St. Lucian 'Bounty' rum, gifted by a friend for collecting her at Gatwick Airport.
She was given the bottle by a holiday friend who Croydon Crown Court heard was persuaded to carry it through Customs by 50 year-old Martin Newman, of 38 Wadeville Avenue, Romford, Essex.
Music promoter Newman, who is wanted by the FBI, had four aliases and served five years in the USA for cheque and credit card fraud denied, but was convicted unanimously by the jury of the manslaughter of Mr. Malcolm (pic.top) and importing cocaine.
Recorder of Croydon Warwick McKinnon told the defendant, who showed no emotion: "This was utter reckless and greedy criminal conduct for monetary gain.
"One life was sadly lost in a terrible way with the suffering that man had to endure from the poisonous rum and both his nephew and a family friend were poisoned by your deadly rum."
Newman,(pic.mid) who claimed he was the victim of a conspiracy involving UK Customs and the St. Lucian authorities, stretching all the way up to the island's deputy PM received twenty years for manslaughter and fifteen years concurrent for importing cocaine.
"You have shown no remourse at all and I regard your offences as grave and there are aggravating features," added the Judge.
"I regard you as an organiser in this greedy endeavor to make financial gain.
"You used innocent carriers you duped and tricked and befriended, leaving them helpless to the risk of being caught and imprisoned for a long time.
"You used these dupes without precautions to protect themselves from the deadly substances they were carrying - pure cocaine mixed in bottles of rum.
"You left them open to the risk they or someone else may take a drink, believing they were taking a harmless shot of rum."
Prosecutor Mr. Oliver Glasgow told the jury 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.
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 (pic.bottom) 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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