By James Simons-
A drug dealer caught with more than 100 wraps of Class A drugs with a street value of more than £1,000 lived rent free at a rogue landlord’s property for 6 months.
Thomas Gibson was selling drugs from the property of Robert Crow in Devereux Road, Southend where a criminal Behavioural charge has been imposed by the courts. However, he was never caught doing it, but captured by officers from the South Operation Raptor team at a flat in Swanage Road, Southend where he was also using as a main base.
Officers found Class A drugs including 49 wraps of heroin and 55 of crack cocaine last January. After admitting two counts of possession with intent to supply a Class A drug, Gibson was jailed for two years and eight months at Basildon Crown Court on Tuesday May 7. A resident of mr.Crow’s released this information to this publication.
Gibson only paid £300 in rent for the last four months of his stay at Crow’s property , exploiting the fact mr.Crow did not have the approval of Southend Council to rent the property. Efforts to get him out of the property failed during his final two months failed, but mr.Crow said he never forced the issue because he was suspicious he may have been selling drugs:
”I noticed he slept a lot in the day and was always in and out of the door at night. I always reminded him that my property had been subject to a criminal behavioural order that supposedly does not even permit him to be here, but these people just don’t listen to me. I’m an old man and can’t force them out it could be dangerous for my safety. I think he gave me a total of about £300 in 6 months, he kept up moving the goal post and promising to pay at some future date. I can’t be blamed for this, the police don’t help me although I do my best to co-operate with the police”.
OPERATIONS
It is the second time a drug dealer has operated from the property of notorious mr.Crow. In 2017, Essex police raided the downstairs property of his home and seized £800 cash from known drug dealers but did not recover any drugs. Crow has had his rent takings stopped by Southend Borough Council for failing to meet satisfactory standards of regulations and for having residents who commit anti-social behaviour. Police were called to his property 54 times in 2018.
REPOSSESSED
Last week mr. Crow had one of his property repossessed by Bank Of Ireland due to Mortgage arrears, whilst he struggled to maintain others. He told the Eye Of Media.Com that he has been loosing sleep over the repossession and the entire conflict with Southend Borough Council and the neighbours. ”I have a lot of fight in me, but sometimes I feel like I am breaking down. I won’t give up the fight. Mr.Crow has been advised to sell the rest of his property quickly before he looses the rest.
He has court orders on three others which he keeps afloat with over £80%of his monthly pension money. If I sell up, they will think they have won, I won’t let these bunch of bullies drive me away from here”, he said. They just don’t like the fact I take in the homeless, the neighbours and the council thnk they are too posh for lesser people. I’m gonna keep fighting”.
CONFRONTATION
Yesterday, mr.Crow angrily confronted a surveyor who came to value the property for sale. He fumed:
”The man came here and asked to come and value my property, I told him he can’t come in. I don’t know what these people think I am. They think they can take my property due to a corrupt campaign against me that has limited my funds, and expect me to offer them tea and let them value a property they are forcefully taking from me? I told them to disappear. Let them guess the worth of the property.
I think everyone is trying to set me up for as heart attack. There is a conspiracy to bankrupt me, and the whole process is a travesty. I have been accused of all sort of lies that are untrue and amount to perjury. Now they are going for my property. The police refuse to protect my safety or get rid of unwanted people at my property. If the courts say nobody is allowed in, then the surveyor is not allowed in either”.
Can’t Come In Mate: Mr.Crow confronts surveyor at his property
The surveyors will find a way to get the value of the property as Bank Of Ireland rush to sell it. Neighbours said a big altercation occurred between mr.Crow and two of his residents this morning as he tried to get them all out before his court case.
Mr.Crow attended Basildon Crown Court today for a pre hearing to a criminal Behavioural Order case. It was adjourned for a final trial on September 17. His appeal hearing against a 2017 conviction in which he was fined £44,000 is in July 14.
Legal experts believe Essex police have a duty to assist mr.Crow in emptying the property of any residents if a court order indeed forbids him from having any. However, officers on the ground ave taken the view that it is a civil matter , something they really should examine in greater detail.