Drug Dealer and Mother Jailed After Police Valentine's Cards Lure Them Back
A drug dealer and his mother who evaded justice by fleeing to South Africa for seven years have been jailed after Sussex Police sent them tongue-in-cheek Valentine's cards asking for a date, which ultimately led to their extradition. Callum Gower, 29, and his mother Caroline Sevier, 53, were extradited from Cape Town after police sent romantic messages offering a £500 reward to reunite with their lost Valentines.
Police's Creative Appeal Leads to Capture
In 2018, Sussex Police posted a humorous message on social media, reading: 'All we wanted was to spend some quality time with the people who've been trying to avoid us lately. Can you play Cupid and help us secure a date with some of the county's most wanted people? There's every chance it could be back to our place for coffee! We will be appealing for those who have broken our hearts to meet us for the date they owe us.' This unconventional approach helped track down the fugitives, who had disappeared after properties linked to their drug operation were raided.
Substantial Drug Operation Uncovered
The pair ran a chain of drug houses in Hastings and St Leonards, storing, preparing, and distributing significant quantities of controlled drugs. Sevier was initially pulled over by police on March 21, 2017, where officers found cocaine with an estimated street value of up to £2,580 and 3.5kg of cannabis in her car boot. Documents linked her to addresses where substantial quantities of cocaine, MDMA, and cannabis were seized, with the total street value of drugs estimated at approximately £298,000.
Flight to South Africa and Extradition
Gower and Sevier fled to South Africa after being released on bail, where they were also wanted on drugs and firearms charges. A European Arrest Warrant was issued in 2023, and they were arrested in Cape Town in 2024. Gower was reported to be renting a luxury £6,350-a-month, six-bedroom home in an exclusive estate, claiming to be a cryptocurrency dealer. He was flown back to the UK in September last year, with his mother following in October.
Judge's Stern Sentencing Remarks
At Lewes Crown Court, Her Honour Judge Christine Laing KC sentenced the pair after they pleaded guilty to all offences. She expressed frustration, stating: 'I'm frankly fed up with having to sentence dealers of Class A drugs who do nothing but cause death and misery to tens of thousands of people.' The judge noted the astonishing quantities and values involved and dismissed their claims of remorse as unconvincing. Gower had complained of harsh treatment in Pollsmoor Prison, while Sevier said she was traumatised by her experience in South African jail, but the judge emphasised the seriousness of their crimes.
Sentences and Police Response
Sevier was jailed for six years, and Gower received a total sentence of seven years and eight months. Both said 'Thank you, your honour' as they were taken down. Sussex Police Detective Superintendent Jay Mendis-Gunasekera commented: 'This was a substantial and organised drugs operation supplying significant quantities of Class A and Class B drugs into our communities. Drug supply causes immeasurable harm, fuelling violence, exploitation and addiction. We will continue to relentlessly pursue those involved in this type of criminality, no matter how long it takes.'
The case highlights the lengths law enforcement will go to bring criminals to justice, using creative methods like Valentine's cards to appeal to the public and ultimately secure convictions for serious drug offences.
