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29 Dec 12
21:11
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19 May 07
its already 2years since trading NFL tips. Where does time go.
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oops just read The Argus. Good luck coke.ed
Drugs case gambler walks free
3:00pm Thursday 31st January 2008
A gambler accused of making thousands of pounds from drug dealing has walked free from court.
John McCracken, 41, was arrested after police raided his home in Brighton and discovered more than £30,000 in cash and betting chips heavily contaminated with drugs.
At a trial at Lewes Crown Court, McCracken was charged with two offences of possession of criminal property under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
He denied the charges and claimed he was a successful professional gambler and the money and chips were his winnings.
After hearing the prosecution case, Judge Simon Coltart ruled there was insufficient evidence and halted the trial.
The jury was instructed to formally return not guilty verdicts and McCracken walked free from the dock.
Outside the court he said: "It is all just one big conspiracy by the police."
The jury had heard McCracken claimed that, as well as winning up to £200,000 a time, he gave betting tips to other punters, including snooker star Jimmy White, whose telephone number was found among documents at McCracken's house.
The court was told when police raided his home in Wiston Road, Whitehawk, on May 25, 2005 officers saw him with bundles of cash he kept under a bed in his daughter's room.
A total of £28,347 was found at the house, along with four £1,000 gambling chips from the Rendezvous Casino.
The money and chips were contaminated with heroin, cocaine, ecstasy and traces of cannabis.
Five diaries were found with entries allegedly referring to slang terms for illegal drugs, such as the colours white, brown and green, as well as eight mobile phones.
Warwick Tatford, prosecuting, said it was well known that bank notes in circulation have traces of illegal drugs because they are rolled up and used for snorting. He said the levels found on the notes and chips at McCracken's home were unusually high.
He said the money and chips represent the profit of criminal activity, most likely drug-dealing.
He said when officers arrived at the house they found McCracken with £20,475 which was kept under the bed.
A further £4,037 was found in a coat pocket in the hallway.
He said entries in the diaries were orders for drugs and lists of payments.
Mr Tatford said when McCracken was questioned by police he denied the money was illegal gains from drugdealing and claimed it was profit from betting.
He claimed he was a professional gambler on horses and greyhounds, and because of his success had been banned from all racetracks in Britain.
He maintained because of the ban he has to get other people to put bets on for him and the records found by police related to those transactions.
He told officers he did not have a bank account and the money found by police was his "float."
Mr Tatford said: "The Crown does not dispute he likes a flutter and perhaps he is terribly good at it but he funds it from drug-dealing.
"There is a clear picture of somebody who is not only a successful gambler but it would appear a successful drugdealer."
McCracken stood trial twice last year but the case was never concluded.
After the hearing a spokeswoman for Sussex Police said: "The police will retain items seized pending further possible proceedings."
alison.cridland@theargus.co.uk
3:00pm Thursday 31st January 2008
A gambler accused of making thousands of pounds from drug dealing has walked free from court.
John McCracken, 41, was arrested after police raided his home in Brighton and discovered more than £30,000 in cash and betting chips heavily contaminated with drugs.
At a trial at Lewes Crown Court, McCracken was charged with two offences of possession of criminal property under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
He denied the charges and claimed he was a successful professional gambler and the money and chips were his winnings.
After hearing the prosecution case, Judge Simon Coltart ruled there was insufficient evidence and halted the trial.
The jury was instructed to formally return not guilty verdicts and McCracken walked free from the dock.
Outside the court he said: "It is all just one big conspiracy by the police."
The jury had heard McCracken claimed that, as well as winning up to £200,000 a time, he gave betting tips to other punters, including snooker star Jimmy White, whose telephone number was found among documents at McCracken's house.
The court was told when police raided his home in Wiston Road, Whitehawk, on May 25, 2005 officers saw him with bundles of cash he kept under a bed in his daughter's room.
A total of £28,347 was found at the house, along with four £1,000 gambling chips from the Rendezvous Casino.
The money and chips were contaminated with heroin, cocaine, ecstasy and traces of cannabis.
Five diaries were found with entries allegedly referring to slang terms for illegal drugs, such as the colours white, brown and green, as well as eight mobile phones.
Warwick Tatford, prosecuting, said it was well known that bank notes in circulation have traces of illegal drugs because they are rolled up and used for snorting. He said the levels found on the notes and chips at McCracken's home were unusually high.
He said the money and chips represent the profit of criminal activity, most likely drug-dealing.
He said when officers arrived at the house they found McCracken with £20,475 which was kept under the bed.
A further £4,037 was found in a coat pocket in the hallway.
He said entries in the diaries were orders for drugs and lists of payments.
Mr Tatford said when McCracken was questioned by police he denied the money was illegal gains from drugdealing and claimed it was profit from betting.
He claimed he was a professional gambler on horses and greyhounds, and because of his success had been banned from all racetracks in Britain.
He maintained because of the ban he has to get other people to put bets on for him and the records found by police related to those transactions.
He told officers he did not have a bank account and the money found by police was his "float."
Mr Tatford said: "The Crown does not dispute he likes a flutter and perhaps he is terribly good at it but he funds it from drug-dealing.
"There is a clear picture of somebody who is not only a successful gambler but it would appear a successful drugdealer."
McCracken stood trial twice last year but the case was never concluded.
After the hearing a spokeswoman for Sussex Police said: "The police will retain items seized pending further possible proceedings."
alison.cridland@theargus.co.uk
Clearly,Jock is an unfortunate "victim" of the Police !
just hit him with a proceeds of crime order and its game over.they fear this more than a prison sentence.
another court case coming up in March that looks worrying
i wonder if they found the runaway yet.
or in another context but similarly one law for them and one law for us, starbucks, amazon and a whole raft of b
there wasnt much chance of coke.ed backing it yesterday was there lets face it
there wasnt much chance of coke.ed backing it yesterday was there lets face it
whys that?
whys that?
'as well as eight mobile phones'.
Jeez, Kieren only had seven !
Jeez, Kieren only had seven !
anyway best of luck to Jock, for those who don't know him, very good friends of mine who do know him very well, swear to me you'll go a long way in a bus and meet worse!!
i see his nelsons were not returned, i hope his lawyers are pursuing that
i see his nelsons were not returned, i hope his lawyers are pursuing that
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