Trial date set for drugs baron accused of breaking anti-crime rules

Saturday 13 January 2024

A trial date has been set for a convicted drug dealer charged with breaching rules put in place to prevent him from committing serious crimes after he was released from prison following a failed plot to smuggle £1million of cannabis into Jersey.

Known as "Britain’s Pablo Escobar", Curtis Warren appeared at Liverpool Crown Court on Friday 12 January and a trial date has been set for August.

The 60-year-old was charged with committing numerous breaches of his Serious Crime Prevention Order. 

This came into force when he was released from prison in November after 14 years.

He was arrested 2009 for trying to execute what at the time would have been Jersey’s biggest drug importation.

No pleas were entered by Warren at yesterday's hearing, which lasted just 10 minutes.

Warren only spoke to give his name and date of birth. 

A trial date was set for 12 August and the case is estimated to last two weeks. 

Warren, who lives in Widnes in Cheshire, was released on bail ahead of a further hearing on 3 June 2024.

The alleged 11 counts of failing to comply with a serious crime prevention order include: the failure to notify the authorities of a change of communication device, of his use of credit cards, that he had set up a business, the true nature of that business, and his application for a passport, to declare his income, that he had access to multiple vehicles, of his travel arrangements outside of the UK, that he was away from his home address for more than 24 hours and that he changed his home address.

Warren is also alleged to have breached the order by having more than £1,000 in his possession.