Football star Onandi Lowe walked free from court today after he was cleared of being part of a plot to smuggle more than ?100,000 of crack cocaine into the UK.
By Andrew BarrowThe former Jamaica striker ? who was suspended from the national team during the investigation ? was cleared of one charge of attempting to possess 1.17kg of the drug with intent to supply.
Lowe, who is 6ft 4ins and who described himself as a ?ladies? man? during the trial, was cleared by a jury of 11 women and one man at Northampton Crown Court.
The jury took almost five hours to return its not guilty verdict after the four-day trial.
Lowe, 31, wearing a black shirt under a white blazer, hugged defence counsel Mark Graffius as he was released from the dock.
He refused to answer questions from waiting reporters, saying simply ?I?m fine? shortly before he was driven away by former Rushden & Diamonds FC teammate Gary Mills.
During the trial it was alleged that the 65-cap Jamaican striker accepted a Federal Express package from the Caribbean which originally contained the 71% pure drugs in a false bottom.
He signed for the package ? which had been intercepted by United States customs and the drugs removed ? at his then home in Hayden Court, Rushden, using the name ?Kevin Brown?.
He did this, he said, because he wanted to keep his identity secret and did not want paparazzi taking pictures of him.
The former Rushden & Diamonds and Coventry City striker told the court he had no idea drugs were inside. He said a friend and former football colleague had asked him to receive the parcel for his girlfriend.
Lowe, now of Finsbury Park, north London, was arrested on April 14 ? just minutes after he signed for the parcel ? as he drove towards Milton Keynes to deliver the box to his friend?s girlfriend.
Giving evidence Lowe told the court: ?He was my mate sending something for his missus. I am not going to question what he is going to send for his missus.?
Closing the defence case on Thursday, Mr Graffius said Lowe had been duped by others into accepting the package and had no idea that drugs were inside.
Lowe came to Britain in 2001 and has played for Port Vale, Rushden and Diamonds and Coventry City. He earned more than ?4,500 per month through football and also took appearance and goals bonuses.
Mr Graffius said Lowe was a successful footballer who had no need to smuggle drugs.
?He has bettered himself, he has signed for Coventry. He is sending money home and built his mother a house,? said counsel.
?He is flying at this point. With all that going for him do you think you can really be sure of his guilt?
?Can you exclude the possibility that he has been set up?
?The bottom line is you cannot exclude that possibility and you cannot be sure. It is now the case that there is only one safe verdict and that is one of not guilty.?
The striker was released by First Division Coventry City at the end of last season. He joined the Sky Blues from Rushden and Diamonds FC on transfer deadline day in March and played two games for Eric Black?s side.
