In a tranquil rural village, one family instilled fear by engaging in tyre slashing and drug dealing activities from an unlikely mobile base—an ice cream van.
The matriarch of this criminal clan, Lynne Leyson, is now evading the grasp of law enforcement. She was the driving force behind a drug distribution operation operating from a farm near Carmarthen. This family-centric criminal organization supplied substantial quantities of drugs throughout the southwest of Wales.
Lynne Leyson faced sentencing in her absence after she jumped bail and became a fugitive from justice. Several months earlier, her husband, Steven, and their son, Samson, were both sentenced for their roles in the gang, as Lynne failed to appear for the court hearing. Since then, she has remained at large within the community.
In her absence, the defendant received her sentencing in a Friday hearing. The judge at Swansea Crown Court expressed the belief that she intentionally avoided attending to evade justice, a situation that had led to local residents selling their homes to escape the family's reign of terror.
According to reports, the Leyson family used a grit box at the end of their road as a drop-off point for drug transactions. They allegedly charmed their neighbors to conceal their illicit activities occurring within their residence. Additionally, it was suggested that their ice cream van served a purpose beyond selling frozen treats. Those who dared to report their actions to the police often found their car tires slashed the following morning.
Two other individuals, Ritchie Coleman, 33, and Emma Calver-Roberts, 32, became entangled in the investigation and pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges related to the distribution of Class A and B drugs.
The Leysons operated a criminal network from a compound in Capel Dewi, near Carmarthen, peddling significant quantities of cocaine and cannabis across Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire, and Swansea.
A police raid in October 2021 unveiled over half a kilo of cocaine valued at up to £60,200 and 1.4kg of cannabis with an approximate street value of £15,600. The operation also yielded more than £17,000 in cash. Among the discoveries was a semi-automatic pistol, an Italian model known as the "Kimar 85 Auto" 9mm self-loading weapon, belonging to Stephen Leyson.
This firearm marked the first of its kind to be located and seized in the Dyfed-Powys Police area. Subsequently, the police's Operation Hilston led them to two drug dealers in Pembrokeshire, including an individual known by the nickname "Mr. Pickles," who had been working with the Leyson family
Following a two-week trial, Stephen Paul Leyson, 55, Lynne Leyson, 51, and their 22-year-old son Samson Leyson, all residents of Pibwr Farm, Capel Dewi, Carmarthen, were convicted of conspiracy charges related to the distribution of Class A and B drugs.
Stephen Leyson also faced a conviction for firearm possession. In July, Stephen Leyson received an 11-year prison sentence, while Samson Leyson was sentenced to six years. However, Lynne Leyson did not attend the sentencing hearing, resulting in a warrant for her arrest.
Despite ongoing police efforts over the past three months, her whereabouts remain unknown, and she remains at large without lawful authorization.
Judge Catherine Richards, in a hearing held on Friday, emphasized that this marked the third instance of Lynne Leyson's failure to appear in court for sentencing, indicating a deliberate attempt to evade justice.
The judge deemed that she had been provided ample opportunities to attend court and, as a result, ruled that she should now be sentenced in her absence. Based on the trial evidence, the judge concluded that Lynne Leyson played a leading role in the criminal enterprise and was the "dominant force" behind the conspiracy, directing operations from the farm.
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