Four men convicted of jury tampering

Four men have been convicted today (8 December 2022) of conspiring to pervert the course of justice after they attempted to sway the outcome of a jury trial at Warwick Crown Court in 2018.

Leslie Allen, 66, who was on trial for serious drugs offences, plotted with the other defendants to help get him acquitted of the £150,000 cocaine and cannabis charge.

Laurence Hayden, 53 of Coventry, who was a defence witness at the trial, Damien Drackley, 37, of Nuneaton, a juror, and Mark Walker, 57, of Coventry, who acted as an intermediary when he assisted in the plot, all attempted to pervert the court of justice.

Walker, who was in direct contact with Hayden and Allen, passed on information about the case that Drackley had provided to his mother, Lorraine Frisby, to further the conspiracy to pervert the court of justice which involved witnesses providing false evidence and a juror being offered £5000 payment to persuade other jurors to find Leslie Allen not guilty.

Lorraine Frisby, 55 of Birmingham, who is Damien Drackley’s mother, earlier pleaded guilty to conspiring to pervert the course of justice and soliciting the disclosure of jury deliberations, contrary to section 20D of the Juries Act 1974.

Damien Drackley also pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to engaging in prohibited juror conduct, contrary to section 20C of the Juries Act 1974, and of Disclosing jury deliberations, contrary to section 20D of the Juries Act 1974.

Neil Fielding of the CPS said: “All four defendants have today been convicted for their part in attempting to pervert the judicial process with a fifth defendant having previously pleaded guilty.

"Together they made a concerted effort to change the course of a jury trial. Drackley showed a complete disregard for the important civic duties of a juror - immediately sharing details of the case with his mother Lorraine Frisby and seeking opportunities to gain advantage from his position.

"I hope today’s convictions will serve as a deterrent to others who may be considering similar conduct and reassures the public that these matters will always be thoroughly investigated and prosecuted where there is sufficient evidence of wrongdoing.”

The four men were convicted at the Old Bailey today.