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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Test cricketer's fall from grace | Test cricketer's fall from grace |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| By Lucy Rodgers BBC News | By Lucy Rodgers BBC News |
| When Chris Lewis chalked up a half-century and six wickets for England in 1991 against the then-mighty West Indies, he was hailed by many as one of cricket's brightest hopes. | When Chris Lewis chalked up a half-century and six wickets for England in 1991 against the then-mighty West Indies, he was hailed by many as one of cricket's brightest hopes. |
| Chris Lewis earned 32 Test caps with England | Chris Lewis earned 32 Test caps with England |
| The imposing 6ft 2in all-rounder's fast, loose-limbed bowling style and combative batting technique even led some to tip him as the next Ian Botham. | The imposing 6ft 2in all-rounder's fast, loose-limbed bowling style and combative batting technique even led some to tip him as the next Ian Botham. |
| But almost two decades later, the former England star, who critics say never truly fulfilled his potential, has faced a very public fall from grace. | But almost two decades later, the former England star, who critics say never truly fulfilled his potential, has faced a very public fall from grace. |
| Lewis, now 41, and basketball player Chad Kirnon, 27, were found at Gatwick Airport last year to be smuggling £140,000 of pure cocaine into the UK in fruit and vegetable juice tins. | Lewis, now 41, and basketball player Chad Kirnon, 27, were found at Gatwick Airport last year to be smuggling £140,000 of pure cocaine into the UK in fruit and vegetable juice tins. |
| A week-and-a-half long trial at Croydon Crown Court heard how the two friends plotted together to bring the "valuable consignment" of Class A drugs in liquid form from St Lucia. | A week-and-a-half long trial at Croydon Crown Court heard how the two friends plotted together to bring the "valuable consignment" of Class A drugs in liquid form from St Lucia. |
| Jurors were told how the sportsmen, both from north London, travelled to the Caribbean island in November, only to return a week later with the brown cocaine liquid hidden in eight large tins stashed in each of their bags. | Jurors were told how the sportsmen, both from north London, travelled to the Caribbean island in November, only to return a week later with the brown cocaine liquid hidden in eight large tins stashed in each of their bags. |
| 'Blaming each other' | 'Blaming each other' |
| During the trial, the two defendants - always dressed smartly in dark suits - never disputed the contents of the cans, nor the fact that they were in the bags searched by customs officials. | During the trial, the two defendants - always dressed smartly in dark suits - never disputed the contents of the cans, nor the fact that they were in the bags searched by customs officials. |
| However, both men claimed they were not responsible for the plot and, as prosecution lawyers put it, "each now blames the other". | However, both men claimed they were not responsible for the plot and, as prosecution lawyers put it, "each now blames the other". |
| Kirnon, born in Montserrat in the Caribbean, claimed Lewis had masterminded the operation, asking him to carry a Prada bag containing £7,000 into St Lucia and then requesting he put three fruit tins in his luggage on their return to Gatwick. | Kirnon, born in Montserrat in the Caribbean, claimed Lewis had masterminded the operation, asking him to carry a Prada bag containing £7,000 into St Lucia and then requesting he put three fruit tins in his luggage on their return to Gatwick. |
| It [the drugs] was quite a large amount in terms of the way it was smuggled Bob GaigerHM Revenue and Customs class="" href="/1/hi/england/8059400.stm">Drug smuggling cricketer jailed | |
| He also claimed Lewis had a drug smuggling record, bringing in previous consignments from Grenada, Jamaica and Barbados, and that the cricketer had even offered him £100,000 to "take the rap" for the crime. | He also claimed Lewis had a drug smuggling record, bringing in previous consignments from Grenada, Jamaica and Barbados, and that the cricketer had even offered him £100,000 to "take the rap" for the crime. |
| However, Lewis, who admitted regularly smoking marijuana but denied a history of smuggling, argued he knew nothing of the cocaine until he arrived at Gatwick. | However, Lewis, who admitted regularly smoking marijuana but denied a history of smuggling, argued he knew nothing of the cocaine until he arrived at Gatwick. |
| Lewis claimed Kirnon had offered him £100,000 to take the blame for carrying the £7,000 in cash into St Lucia and argued that he believed he was simply carrying tins of juice for his co-accused when he was arrested on arrival in the UK. | Lewis claimed Kirnon had offered him £100,000 to take the blame for carrying the £7,000 in cash into St Lucia and argued that he believed he was simply carrying tins of juice for his co-accused when he was arrested on arrival in the UK. |
| Lewis denied trying to import cocaine | Lewis denied trying to import cocaine |
| Ultimately though, the trial's jury of five men and seven women believed the Crown's argument that the pair had acted together to smuggle the drugs into Britain and found them both guilty. | Ultimately though, the trial's jury of five men and seven women believed the Crown's argument that the pair had acted together to smuggle the drugs into Britain and found them both guilty. |
| The case has highlighted what customs officers say is one of the major routes used by smugglers to get cocaine on to the UK market. | The case has highlighted what customs officers say is one of the major routes used by smugglers to get cocaine on to the UK market. |
| The Caribbean is a well-known transit point for the Class A drug on its way from producers in South America, and passengers on such flights are always monitored closely by officials. | The Caribbean is a well-known transit point for the Class A drug on its way from producers in South America, and passengers on such flights are always monitored closely by officials. |
| Bob Gaiger, spokesman for HM Revenue and Customs, said teams posted at airports were well aware of these "high-risk" routes. But while most cocaine seized at UK ports was powder, he explained, officers did sometimes find cocaine in liquid form. | Bob Gaiger, spokesman for HM Revenue and Customs, said teams posted at airports were well aware of these "high-risk" routes. But while most cocaine seized at UK ports was powder, he explained, officers did sometimes find cocaine in liquid form. |
| "We are aware that is a smuggling method," he said. | "We are aware that is a smuggling method," he said. |
| 'An enigma' | 'An enigma' |
| But while the trial revealed details of Lewis and Kirnon's cocaine plot, it explained little about how and why Lewis, once feted by cricket fans and the media, had entered the murky world of drug smuggling. | But while the trial revealed details of Lewis and Kirnon's cocaine plot, it explained little about how and why Lewis, once feted by cricket fans and the media, had entered the murky world of drug smuggling. |
| The Guyana-born sportsman had impressed many in his early 20s with his mercurial talent and began his career as an all-rounder at Leicestershire, before spells at Nottinghamshire and Surrey. | The Guyana-born sportsman had impressed many in his early 20s with his mercurial talent and began his career as an all-rounder at Leicestershire, before spells at Nottinghamshire and Surrey. |
| Known as Lewie to his team mates, he not only performed well in the Test against the West Indies in 1991, but followed it with some impressive displays in the 1992 World Cup. | Known as Lewie to his team mates, he not only performed well in the Test against the West Indies in 1991, but followed it with some impressive displays in the 1992 World Cup. |
| The pair used fruit juice tins to smuggle the cocaine | The pair used fruit juice tins to smuggle the cocaine |
| Yet, despite this early promise, Lewis's international successes were not consistent. | Yet, despite this early promise, Lewis's international successes were not consistent. |
| He was in and out of the England team throughout the early and mid-1990s, eventually earning 32 Test caps and managing 53 one-day international appearances. He ended up taking 93 Test wickets and notching up 1,105 Test runs, including a best of 117. | He was in and out of the England team throughout the early and mid-1990s, eventually earning 32 Test caps and managing 53 one-day international appearances. He ended up taking 93 Test wickets and notching up 1,105 Test runs, including a best of 117. |
| But on the field and away from it, Lewis often courted controversy, something he acknowledged during his trial. | But on the field and away from it, Lewis often courted controversy, something he acknowledged during his trial. |
| "Throughout my life, my cricket career, when things have gone wrong, they have gone wrong very publicly," he said. | "Throughout my life, my cricket career, when things have gone wrong, they have gone wrong very publicly," he said. |
| The player, who admitted to being a "loner", was regarded by many as something of an enigma. Some even blamed his inconsistent performance on his mental attitude. | The player, who admitted to being a "loner", was regarded by many as something of an enigma. Some even blamed his inconsistent performance on his mental attitude. |
| Lewis was known to refer to himself in the third person and in 1994 a national tabloid newspaper christened him the "Prat without the Hat" after he shaved his head on tour in the West Indies and suffered sunstroke, forcing him to miss the first match of the series. | Lewis was known to refer to himself in the third person and in 1994 a national tabloid newspaper christened him the "Prat without the Hat" after he shaved his head on tour in the West Indies and suffered sunstroke, forcing him to miss the first match of the series. |
| Childhood | Childhood |
| He attracted further ridicule for posing in his underwear for a magazine, long before it was acceptable for sports stars to strip for photo shoots. | He attracted further ridicule for posing in his underwear for a magazine, long before it was acceptable for sports stars to strip for photo shoots. |
| Former England team mate Derek Pringle, writing in the Daily Telegraph last year, described how Lewis appeared to be the perfect player physically, but that "his mind often appeared a confused mess". | Former England team mate Derek Pringle, writing in the Daily Telegraph last year, described how Lewis appeared to be the perfect player physically, but that "his mind often appeared a confused mess". |
| He told how Lewis was "remarkably uncertain of himself for a top-level sportsman" and Pringle put this "puzzling state of mind" down to a strict upbringing under his preacher father. | He told how Lewis was "remarkably uncertain of himself for a top-level sportsman" and Pringle put this "puzzling state of mind" down to a strict upbringing under his preacher father. |
| But Pringle also offered, perhaps, a clue to why the now-retired cricketer was tempted into the high-risk but high-reward activity of drug smuggling. | But Pringle also offered, perhaps, a clue to why the now-retired cricketer was tempted into the high-risk but high-reward activity of drug smuggling. |
| He described Lewis's apparent vanity and his "liking for the finer things in life", such as designer clothes and flash cars. | He described Lewis's apparent vanity and his "liking for the finer things in life", such as designer clothes and flash cars. |
| And, he concluded, this was the case "when they were not within the orbit of most cricketers' salaries". | And, he concluded, this was the case "when they were not within the orbit of most cricketers' salaries". |