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Brother of nightclub acid thrower Arthur Collins has admitted drug & weapons charges

The brother of nightclub acid thrower Arthur Collins admitted drugs and weapons charges after police raided the family’s £1 million home.

The officers were looking for Arthur, who had a baby with TOWIE girlfriend Ferne McCann after being jailed for the attack.

Thomas Colllins, 22, was found to have a CS spray, a Taser and 68.1g (2.3 ounces) of cannabis in his bedroom when officers searched their property looking for Arthur jnr.

His father Arthur Collins snr, 55, mother Jacqueline, 53, were also arrested and are accused of allowing their house to be used as a cannabis factory.

Police searched the house in Hertfordshire while hunting for Arthur Collins, 25, after he hurled acid inside a packed London nightclub injuring 22 revellers, on April 17 last year.

Collins was jailed for 20 years for carrying out the acid attack at the Mangle E8 nightclub in Hackney, east London.

He was then handed an extra eight months in prison for having a phone in his cell, hidden in his crutch, along with a charger and SIM cards, which he used to call his ex Ferne, 27, while she was carrying his baby daughter, Sunday.

Collins jnr used the crutch after breaking his ankle trying to escape from police.

Officers discovered around 30 cannabis plants growing in an outbuilding at the family home in Broxbourne, Herts, on April 17 last year, it was said.

The estimated value of the drugs was between £9,000 and £25,000, it was said.

Arthur snr and Jacqueline are both charged with permitting the production or attempted production on a premises of the Class B drug.

Thomas pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing a weapon for the discharge of a noxious liquid, gas or electrical incapacitating device – a CS spray and an electric stun gun.

He also admitted a third charge of possession of cannabis.

All three appeared together in the dock at St Albans’ Crown Court today (Fri) where Arthur snr and Jacqueline pleaded not guilty to the one count.

Arthur snr wore a light blue shirt and sat alongside Jacqueline who wore a green blazer jacket.

Thomas in a black matching Nike tracksuit and black Nike t-shirt, pleaded guilty to all three counts.

The court heard Arthur snr and Jacqueline claim the cannabis was taken into his home without his knowledge.

Kevin West prosecuting said: “His room is laid out in such a way as it is separate, there are locks and it’s behind closed doors.

“The crown say there was a significant amount of cannabis growing.”

Peter Fallen defending Arthur snr told the court: “The issue is that the cannabis was brought there and left by someone else.”

The court heard there was footage of the alleged cannabis factory from body worn cameras of the arresting officers.

Daryl Charritt defending Thomas said the CS spray and Taser did not work.

Thomas will be sentenced once the the trial has concluded and a pre-sentence report has been made.

Judge Jonathan Carroll released Arthur snr, Jacqueline and Thomas, who all live at the same address, on unconditional bail.

 

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