Convicted killer’s ‘jury tampering’ plot to derail £45m drug smuggling trial from prison cell

Convicted Killer’s ‘Jury Tampering’ Scheme to Undermine £45m Drug Smuggling Trial from Prison Cell

William Todd, a 61-year-old man previously convicted of murder, engineered a scheme to sabotage a £45m international drug smuggling trial while incarcerated. The plot involved falsely accusing jurors of being bribed to sway the verdict against the criminal gang.

Past Convictions and Escape

Todd received two life sentences in 2001 for attempting to kill his former business partner, Arthur de Sousa, and fatally shooting his bodyguard in Pangbourne, Berkshire. His escape from Winchester prison in 2001 was notable: he cut through the bars of his cell, climbed a 30-foot wall with a homemade grappling hook and rope ladder, and was recaptured five days later.

The Conspiracy Unfolds

While serving his latest sentence at Coldingley prison, Todd directed a conspiracy to free the gang accused of smuggling 448kg of MDMA to Australia. The plan relied on a secret mobile phone under the alias Ari Gold, referencing the Hollywood character from the TV series *Entourage*. The scheme involved false claims that jurors had been bribed up to £20,000 to acquit the defendants.

During the trial, a 46-year-old man, whose identity remains confidential, acted as Todd’s liaison. He recorded jurors’ names as they were sworn in and relayed the information to the accused. When the jury retired in June 2022, fabricated evidence was sent to Kingston Crown Court and police, casting doubt on the trial’s integrity.

Uncovering the Scheme

The plot was exposed when Danny Brown, 58, shared a photo of his French Bulldog, Bob, with Stefan Baldauf, 66. The image revealed the dog’s collar bearing a phone number, which was used to trace the encrypted communications platform EncroChat. This led to the conviction of Brown and Baldauf, along with four others, for drug trafficking.

Sheree Avard, 41, from Woking, Surrey, was later recruited to further the conspiracy. She posed as a juror’s girlfriend, claiming the juror had confessed to being pressured by corrupt National Crime Agency officials to convict the defendants. A fake passport for Ioana Andrei and a Romanian woman were also used to falsely sign an official deposition.

Sentencing and Consequences

Prosecutor Charlotte Hole stated the scheme posed a “real risk of serious consequences for innocent parties.” She warned that if the allegations had been believed, jurors might have faced contempt of court or worse. Avard and the unnamed man admitted to conspiracy to pervert the course of justice, receiving sentences of 12 months and three years and four months respectively.

Judge Gregory Perrins described the plot as a “professional, persistent, and sophisticated attempt to undermine the trial and convictions of those involved in serious organized crime.” He emphasized Todd’s “close links” to the gang and his role in orchestrating the conspiracy from his prison cell.

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