Drug stash was 'just a collection

[grace]

THE son of a Lotto winner denied dealing drugs — claiming he had a huge stash because he is an obsessive HOARDER.

Cops found a vast haul of drugs including LSD, ecstasy, cannabis, ketamine and diazepam, as well as bundles of cash, when they raided Christopher Graham's home.

 

He had so much he had hired a lock-up to store them in — but denied being a pusher.

 

Graham, 36, who got £1million when step-dad Bob Frazer scooped £14million in 2003, insisted he only had the drugs because of a compulsion to collect things.

 

He bought a £300,000 house with his windfall and invested some — but used the rest to indulge his obsessions, he told Newcastle Crown Court.

 

Comics

 

He said: "People offer me drugs and I buy them, I buy cheap. I don't sell them, they build up and build up and end up in boxes, there's shedloads of drugs.

 

"It seems like a bargain at the time then it builds up and becomes a problem.

 

"Throughout my life it has been Star Wars figures, cigarette papers, flyers for dance events, comics or records."

 

Graham said after he came into the money his comic-buying went into "overdrive" and he was importing boxes and boxes from America.

 

Asked why he bought such a vast quantity he said: "I used to ask myself that question every night. It was just a compulsion.

 

As well as the comics I started buying hot sauces obsessively Christopher Graham

 

"It actually put a strain on my relationship, my girlfriend wasn't very happy with it.

 

"As well as the comics I started buying hot sauces, which also turned into a bit of a compulsion.

 

"I used to buy collections of them from America. I had hundreds and hundreds of them, I bought them online from auctions.

 

"I had a lot on display in my house. I had a lot in the garage and once it got out of control I just boxed them up. I had 200-300 different types.

 

"I then started importing green tea. It was tea from China, about 40 different types. I actually ended up selling it on eBay.

 

"I had just developed a taste for it and the taste turned into an interest and the interest turned into an obsession and before I knew it I had massive bags of tea."

 

Spirits

 

He added: "I did the same with miniature bottles of spirits. I used to buy boxes and boxes of them. I've got a couple thousand of them, easy.

 

"It was a little obsession, it only lasted a three to four weeks. I had stopped buying green tea and went onto them."

 

Graham previously got five years for supplying ecstasy, reduced to three-and-a-half on appeal.

 

He was released shortly before his taxi driver step-dad Bob, 58, won the Lotto.

 

He admitted being a "recreational" drug user for 22 years, and estimated he had about 30 or 40 different types of cannabis at home.

 

Judge Christopher Prince accepted Graham did not intend to sell the cannabis or ketamine and would have just shared it with a small group of friends.

 

He will sentence Graham later.

 

Author: ROBIN PERRIE

Date: 3 August 2010

Source: The Sun

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/...collection.html

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Lottery winner's stepson jailed for Newcastle arson [/b]

 

Graham hoarded comics, hot chilli sauces, green tea and drugs A lottery winner's stepson from Newcastle has been jailed after he admitted putting a lit firework through his ex-girlfriend's letterbox.

 

Christopher Graham, from Heaton, was given £1m by his stepfather when he won the jackpot seven years ago.

 

Newcastle Crown Court was told that 36-year-old Graham spent most of the money on his obsession for hoarding, and had also amassed a huge haul of drugs.

 

After earlier admitting arson and drugs charges he was jailed for seven years.

 

The court was told that during two raids at Graham's home police found large amounts of drugs, including LSD, ecstasy, cannabis, ketamine and diazepam.

 

While on bail for drug offences, he became convinced his former partner, Andrea Davis, was having an affair and in the early hours of 12 April pushed a lit firework through her letterbox, causing a small fire.

 

Miss Davis, who lives with her 17-year-old daughter and a six-year-old girl she had with Graham, was able to extinguish it.

 

At an earlier hearing at Newcastle Crown Court Graham pleaded guilty to arson while being reckless as to whether life was endangered.

 

He also admitted two charges of possessing cannabis and ketamine with intent to supply, 11 charges of possessing drugs and three counts of possessing an offensive weapon - a pepper spray.

 

He denied being a drug dealer, but said that people offered him drugs and he "bought cheap".

 

"I don't sell them, they build up and build up and end up in boxes, there's shedloads of drugs," he said.

 

"Throughout my life it has been Star Wars figures, cigarette papers, flyers for dance events, comics or records."

 

The court was told that Graham had hoarded thousands of comics, hot chilli sauces, Chinese green tea, and miniature bottles of spirits.

 

Judge Christopher Prince said he accepted Graham would have shared the ketamine or cannabis with friends, rather than sell it.

 

He sentenced him to a total of seven years, six for arson and one for the drug offences, to be served consecutively.

 

'Extremely dangerous'

 

Judge Prince said that Graham had believed Miss Davis had entered into a new relationship with a new man and was jealous.

 

"It was because of that jealously you went to that flat," he said.

 

"Miss Davis said it was only a small fire. The trouble with small fires is that they get larger.

 

"What you did was extremely dangerous. That death or serious injury was not caused is a matter of good fortune."

 

"In cases of this type there must be a sentence of deterrence so that others do not engage in this type of behaviour."

 

Date: 5 August 2010

Source: BBC News Tyne

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-10886425