A mother and farmer’s wife known as the ‘Godmother’ of a major cocaine racket will be forced to pay back £26,000 – if she is ever caught.
Lynne Leyson, 52, led a hidden double-life as a crime gang leader behind her front of being a normal farmer from a sleepy Welsh village.
But she fled before being jailed for nine years and, after spending almost a year on the run, her mugshot has been issued to all UK police forces along with a false name she may be using.
The notorious Leyson family were finally taken down last year and found to have used guns, knives and a pack of untrained Doberman dogs to threaten villagers suspicious of what was going on at their remote farm in Carmarthenshire, Wales.
Leyson’s husband Stephen, 55, and his son Samson, 22, were jailed for a total of 17 years in July after the farm was raided by police.
Farmer’s wife Lynne Leyson operated a hidden double life as the godmother of a family crime gang
£15,615 of cannabis was seized by the police at Pibwr Farm, near Capel Dewi, Carmarthenshire
Police recovered a 9mm semi-automatic handgun which was found stashed at the farm
Stephen was jailed for 11 years, Samson for six and Lynne to nine years in her absence.
All three were found guilty of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and conspiracy to supply Class B drugs.
Most neighbours had thought she was a respectable country mother – but she was the godmother of family crime gang supplying multi-kilo quantities of cocaine and cannabis to dealers from the isolated smallholding.
Leyson vanished before she was due in court to face justice, was sentenced by a judge in her absence and has been on the run ever since.
The mother was described as a ‘dominant force’ who played a ‘leading role’ in the drugs enterprise.
The court heard officers targeted Pibwr Farm, near Capel Dewi, Carmarthenshire, in the early hours of October 27, 2021.
They recovered over £60,000 of cocaine, £15,615 of cannabis, a 9mm semi-automatic handgun and more than £17,000 in cash – which they claimed was from a ‘house sale.’
The raid also led officers to two dealers living in Pembrokeshire who had been selling drugs for the family, one of whom went by the nickname Mr Pickles.
The family claimed that cash seized by police was from a ‘house sale’
Lynne’s husband Stephen Leyson was jailed for 11 years for his role in the cocaine ring
The couple’s son Samson was jailed for six years in July after the farm was raided by police
It was previously revealed how one local family was ‘visited’ by one of the Leysons and told ‘you will be killed’ if you report us to the police again.
Other locals were warned their tyres would be slashed if they dared to call police, and an off-duty officer was even bitten by a Rottweiler.
In a Proceeds of Crime hearing, Ieuan Rees, prosecuting, told Swansea Crown Court both Stephen and Lynne Leyson benefited from their criminal lifestyle to the tune of £77,967.
Investigators have identified available assets in respect of Stephen in the sum of £33,147 and in respect of Lynne in the sum of £26,442.
Samson Leyson benefited from his involvement to the tune of £69,795 and investigators have identified assets – including a TAG Heuer Formula 1 watch – worth £9,550.
Judge Catherine Richards made confiscation orders in the available sums for the three Leysons, and gave them three months to pay or face additional jail time.
The judge said she was ‘quite sure’ Lynne Leyson would be arrested and brought before a court ‘at some point’.
Swansea Crown Court heard husband and wife Stephen and Lynne Leyson denied any wrongdoing when they were questioned.
Lynne Leyson was found guilty by a jury of conspiracy to supply cocaine, conspiracy to supply cannabis, and possessing criminal property.
A bench warrant was issued after she previously failed to turn up to court for sentencing – and she is has now been jailed for nine years in her absence.
After the case, one neighbour said: ‘We just couldn’t believe it. They seemed like a normal farming family, well a bit rough around the edges like a lot of country people. Lynne seemed very normal really – not a cocaine dealer like she was. It is all very odd.’
A Crimestoppers appeal said: ‘Arrest enquiries have been conducted at known addresses where Lynne is likely to frequent. These premises are across Carmarthen and parts of Swansea. To date these have been negative enquiries.
Enquiries to date have returned negative results. A request is being made for Lynne Leyson aka Annelyn Caldicot to be placed on Crimestoppers as a wanted person.
She is described as 5ft 4in with black hair, brown eyes, right handed, with a surgical scar on her left leg and a Welsh accent.
Anyone who sees her is asked to call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
