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Search forDrug baron paid top Croydon school fees in cash, court hears
07:00 - 24-July-2008
Jobless dad Sean Lynch, 47, splashed out to have his three children educated at the Royal Russell School, in Coombe Road, Croydon.
But in the meantime, Kingston Crown Court heard this week, he was amassing a fortune from a narcotics racket which he masterminded, it
And of the £13,555 in fees paid to the school in 2007 when Lynch was said to be the organiser of a conspiracy to supply drugs, at least £3,000 was handed over in cash.
Earlier in the trial it was disclosed Lynch had been unemployed since 1994.
An accident forced him to quit his job putting up advertising hoardings and rely on incapacity benefit of between £58 and £110 a week.
Yet in October last year when Lynch was arrested in a “drugs warehouse” with three other men and a stash of more than £600,000 worth of illegal drugs on the premises, he was living with his second wife Michelle and his two sons and a daughter in a luxury mansion at West Parkside, Warlingham.
And he was also the owner of a fleet of posh cars, jurors heard.
Prosecutor Nicholas Corsellis said on Tuesday (22): “Lynch bought his home at West Parkside in 2003/2004 for £810,000 and paid £32,400 in Stamp Duty.”
“In 2004 he bought a villa in Spain – and transferred £255,184.79 to Spain.”
He said when Lynch was arrested by Surrey Police at a house in Derington Road, Tooting, after a seven-month surveillance operation, a search of his Warlingham property uncovered £91,217 worth of jewellery and watches there.
Earlier, fellow prosecuting counsel William Saunders said Lynch received £559,671 in 2001 as compensation for his injuries.
But he added: “He had a hidden source of income – the proceeds of his drug-dealing.
“Mr Lynch maintained a high-standard of living despite his unemployed status.”
Lynch, described by prosecuting barristers as “the organiser” in the conspiracy, has admitted one charge of conspiracy to supply amphetamines and two of conspiracy to supply cannabis but denies a fourth charge of conspiracy to supply cocaine – all between December 31, 2006, and October 3 last year.
A second man, Ian Nesbitt, 46, of Derington Road, Tooting, has admitted all four charges.
Two other men - Stephen Voller, 55, also of Derington Road, and David Warwick, 34, of Pretoria Road, Streatham - deny all four charges.
The trial continues.
ROYAL RUSSELL SCHOOL: Lynch paid £3,000 in cash. Photo: rrussell
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