DRUGS OVERLORD'S WIFE AND THE FAMILY ROW OVER PS100,000 DEBT; Grandad cleared of attacking sister who was a key member of heroin cartel.
Byline: MIKE LOCKLEY Staff Reporter [email protected]THE wife of drugs overlord Mohammed Farooq, a key member of a multi-million pound heroin cartel, was injured in a row with her own brother over a PS100,000 debt.
But this week, grandfather John Smyth was cleared of attacking Catherine Farooq - she has also been jailed for her role in the narcotics network that spanned the West Midlands and Pakistan - with a baton at her Nuneaton home.
In the world of drugs dealing, her husband was a global Mr Big. And the verdict has divided the close-knit Birmingham family.
John, described by the family as a landscape gardener and groundsman, is 62 years old.
He has always stressed that his sister suffered a broken arm, a damaged leg and a cut to her head when she fell during the struggle.
He was the one attacked with a wooden truncheon, Warwick Crown Court was told, and acted in selfdefence.
John, from Quinton, spent six months at Hewell Prison, near Redditch, while he waited to prove his innocence in court.
He says he is still battling to claw back the cash he says Catherine Farooq still owes him.
Following a five-day trial, it took the jury just over two hours to clear the grandad of wounding his 55-year-old sister with intent to cause her grievous bodily harm.
In 2013, Mrs Farooq was jailed for nine months for money-laundering after her husband's heroin empire, run on an industrial scale, was smashed by the Serious Organised Crime Agency.
Mohammed Farooq is currently serving 29 years behind bars.
During last September's violent scenes, Mrs Farooq's daughter barricaded herself in the lounge, the jury was told. John Smyth barged into the home and screamed "Where's my money, bitch? I've got you now", the prosecution alleged. It was claimed that he first began to harass his sister, who lived in Hobs Moat Road, Solihull, at the time, for the cash. She moved away and took steps to ensure he could not find her. But in 2016, her location was revealed when she signed on the electoral register.
John Smyth had simmered over the unpaid loan for four years. The bad blood reached boiling point at his sister's home, the court heard. Prosecutor Samantha Crabb said: "Over a period of time a good deal of bad feeling had built up between them as a result of a very large loan of money he had made to Catherine Farooq's husband in 2010, somewhere in the region of PS100,000.
"A good proportion of that has never been repaid. That, in no small part, was because her husband had been arrested in relation to drug offences and subsequently imprisoned."
The family is adamant the loan was made to mother-of-three Mrs Farooq, known to them as Teresa. She lived in Amsterdam before returning to the Birmingham area.
John Smyth's arrival, in a Mercedes on September 20, was captured on CCTV.
"She put her arm out to try to protect herself, but he continued his attack as she cowered in the corner screaming in terror," added Miss Crabb, who said the neighbour's CCTV system had also recorded Mrs Farooq's screams and shouts for help.
"He hit her repeatedly, so ferociously that she suffered wounds to her head and leg and a broken arm, caused as she tried to shield herself from the blows he was raining down on her."
After he left, the police and an ambulance arrived and she was taken to hospital, the jury heard.
John's version of events - a version believed by the jury - was very different, however.
He declined to comment when initially interviewed by the police, but in court strenuously denied going to the home armed.
He acted in self-defence, he stressed.
John added that he could not have hit her in the manner he was alleged to have done because of an injury to his hand.
Champagne corks have not popped in the Smyth household following his release.
"He's happy, but not over the moon," said a close relative. "He is quite calm, but he's upset about what happened. He feels the police handled it poorly.
"He's just keeping busy, getting his house straight.
"I last saw Teresa in 2007 when she did us Christmas dinner. I don't know how she got involved in Mohammed Farooq, but I know she's never done drugs.
"Uncle John has never been in trouble with the police before, but he's been in jail for six months. That's a sentence.
"Now, he just wants to get his life back."
THOSE SNARED IN ONE OF BRITAIN'S BIGGEST DRUGS BUSTS | Mehrban Hussaib, 24, of Chirton Grove, Kings Heath. Sentenced to 12 years after being convicted conspiring to import heroin.
| Nadeem Ramzan Aslam, 33, of Trafalgar Road, Moseley. Sentenced to 16 years after being convicted of conspiring to import heroin.
| Manjinda Singh Tethy, 35, of George Street, Handsworth. Sentenced to 4 years after pleading guilty to conspiring to import heroin.
| Mohammed Jabbar Khan, 36, of Shawdale Road, Hodge Hill. Sentenced to 4 years after pleading guilty to conspiring to import heroin.
| Asid Iqbal Shan, 42, of Meadvale Road, Leicester. Sentenced to 181/2 years after pleading guilty to conspiring to import heroin.
| Akthar Ali Sarfudin, 42, of Vulcan Road, Leicester. Sentenced to 18 years, having been found guilty of conspiring to import heroin.
| Naeem Mussa Ali Bhai, 19, of Harringworth Road, Leicester. Sentenced to 14 years after admitting conspiring to import heroin.
| Dilawar Ahmedzai, 23, of Leicester Street, Bradford. Sentenced to 121/2 years for conspiring to import heroin. | Safdar Nawaz, 32, of Dearman Road, Sparkbrook. Sentenced to 131/2 years after pleading guilty to conspiring to import heroin.
| Ali Abdullah, 37, of Oatland Towers, Little London, Leeds. Sentenced to 15 years, having been found guilty of conspiring to import heroin.
| Muhammed Rajmil, 46, of Fothergill Close, London. Sentenced to 21/2 years, having been found guilty of money laundering.
| Abdul Rehman Niazi, 41, of Walthermstow, London. Sentenced to 2 years, having been found guilty of money laundering.
| Mohammed Farooq, 47, of Solihull. Sentenced to 29 years, having been found guilty of conspiring to import heroin.
| Ahmad Shah, 40, from Pakistan. Sentenced to 29 years, having been found guilty of conspiring to import heroin. | Homayon Mehrpoor, 58, from Pakistan. Sentenced to 25 years, having been found guilty of conspiring to import heroin.
| Catherine Farooq, 55, of Solihull. Sentenced to 9 months, having being found guilty of three counts of money laundering.
| Mohammed Tanvir, 28, of Hampton Road, Aston. Sentenced to 6 years and 9 months, having pleaded guilty to conspiring to supply heroin. | Muhammed Naseer, 35, of Grange Road, Aston. Sentenced to 51/2 years, having pleaded guilty to conspiring to supply heroin.
| Zahir Ali, 22, of Eastwood Road, Balsall Heath. Sentenced to 41/2 years, having pleaded guilty to conspiring to supply heroin.
Uncle John has never been in trouble with the police before, but he's been in jail for six months. That's a sentence
CAPTION(S):
| John Smyth and sister Catherine Farooq
Mohammed Farooq is serving a 29-year jail term
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| Publication: | Sunday Mercury (Birmingham, England) |
|---|---|
| Geographic Code: | 4EUUK |
| Date: | Mar 25, 2018 |
| Words: | 1178 |
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