Drugs baron Warren loses latest appeal bid

The Liverpool-born gangster was jailed in 2009 after Jersey officers bugged a hire car he was travelling in across Europe.

Warren had applied for a decision made by the former Lieutenant-Governor, General Sir John McColl, not to refer his conviction back to the Court of Appeal to be subject to a judicial review.

However, that application has, according to a recently published judgment, been refused by the Royal Court.

In 2011 Warren, who once topped Interpol’s most wanted list, appealed against his sentence on the grounds that the evidence against him had been obtained unlawfully.

However, his conviction was upheld by the UK Privy Council.

He then appealed to the Lieutenant-Governor to resend the case to the Court of Appeal, but was unsuccessful.

Under Jersey law the Lieutenant-Governor has the power to refer cases to the Court of Appeal ‘if he sees fit’.

Warren, who was represented during the hearing by Advocate Stephen Baker, had argued that there was new material postdating the Privy Council’s decision which should be taken into account.

That new material related to evidence given during disciplinary proceedings against the police officers involved in the original investigation and ‘potential new material’ in the possession of Advocate Philip Sinel, who represented some of the officers during the disciplinary proceedings.

Commissioner Michael Beloff, who presided over the latest hearing, concluded that the Lieutenant-Governor and his lawyers, Anesta Weekes QC and former high court judge Sir John Saunders, had undertaken a ‘thorough review’ of all the material.

And he concluded that Advocate Sinel, who first ‘hinted’ at the possession of ‘important material’ in July 2014, had been given ample opportunity to supply his evidence but had not done so over two years.

Warren was jailed for 13 years in 2009, and in 2014 learnt he faced another ten years in jail after refusing to hand over almost £200 million to the authorities.

– Advertisement –
– Advertisement –