Underwear Fugitive Jailed for Drug Dealing

Andre McGowan, aged 36, has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for his significant role in supplying Class A drugs, specifically crack cocaine and heroin. The sentencing occurred at Nottingham Crown Court on Monday.

McGowan was apprehended in February 2023 after police executed a warrant at his residence in Belconnen Road, Bestwood, Nottingham. He was found attempting to evade officers by climbing out of a first-floor window, clad only in his underwear, and was subsequently arrested on a nearby footpath.

His accomplice, Shabezz Wheeler-Spink, 30, was arrested at a separate address in Radford while attempting to flush approximately £10,000 worth of heroin down a toilet. The attempt was unsuccessful, leading to a flooded bathroom.

Investigations revealed that McGowan had been operating the established drug line, known as the "Vic Line," in the Nottingham area for six years. Wheeler-Spink's involvement was more recent, spanning six months, acting as a drug deliverer under McGowan's direction. A key piece of evidence was a video found on McGowan's phone, seemingly depicting 11 kilo blocks of cocaine and heroin.

Wheeler-Spink received a three-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs and possession with intent to supply cannabis. The "Vic Line" targeted customers across various Nottingham neighborhoods, including Woodthorpe, Bulwell, and Forest Fields.