Drug-dealing footballer made over £170K, court told
· Yahoo Sports
A footballer who bragged on Instagram about his drug dealing made more than £170,000 from his crimes, a court has heard.
Thierry Nevers, 24, who previously played for West Ham, Newport County and Bradford City, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and was jailed for three years at Lincoln Crown Court in December.
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Following the conviction, a Proceeds of Crime Act investigation was ordered to work out how much money he made from criminal activity and to recover any available assets.
Lincoln Crown Court heard on Monday it was agreed Nevers made a benefit of £171,000 from his drug dealing, but had available assets of only £32,678.
Defence barrister Samir Pasha told the court Nevers may not be in a position to pay back the money as it had been given to others as a "tainted gift".
"He doesn't work. He doesn't have any income," she said.
Judge James House KC adjourned the case for a contested proceeds of crime hearing, scheduled to take place at the same court on 29 January.
"There will have to be a hearing for you to say why it is not available," Judge House told Nevers.
The former player, who has since been released from prison, watched the hearing via video link.
Nevers, who was arrested on 13 August last year, was previously described by Lincolnshire Police as a "known Instagram content maker, bragging about drug dealing in his videos".
He signed for West Ham's academy in 2021 but left three years later.
In August, Allan Barrass was ordered to pay back £13,746 or face a further 14 months in jail [Lincolnshire Police]Nevers' accomplice, Allan Barrass, is serving a 10-year sentence after he admitted three drugs-related offences and one firearms offence.
The court heard the financial investigation into Barrass, of Main Street, Dorrington, Lincolnshire, had been concluded earlier this year.
During a hearing in August, the court heard Barrass had made an agreed benefit of £221,028 from his criminal activity and had realisable assets of just £13,746.
Police previously said Nevers, of Severn Way, Tilehurst, Reading, had made regular trips from south Lincolnshire to the Reading area.
Mobile phone searches found contact between Nevers and Barrass as well as evidence of Class A drug dealing.
Det Sgt Adam Petty, who oversaw the investigation, said: "Drugs have a terrible impact on our communities and will never be tolerated.
"As well as the suffering caused to users, drug dealing brings violence and an uplift in theft offences and often, as is seen in this case, the possession of dangerous weapons."
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