Caterer and Hotelkeeper – 19757

Drug dealer loses share in hotel

A Gloucestershire hotelier who was involved in a cannabis dealing ring has had almost £250,000 of personal assets seized, including his £217,805 share in the Feathers Hotel, Lydney.

John Neal is currently serving a six-year sentence for conspiring to supply 95 kilograms of cannabis.

At Gloucester Crown Court he denied prosecution claims that he benefited by £431,000 from the drug dealing and had assets worth £280,000 which could be confiscated.

Fifty-six-year-old Neal claimed that his benefit and assets were much less, but at the end of the hearing Judge Hutton said he largely accepted the prosecution version.

"I find that the defendant is a liar. He is devious and clever, and it is not right to believe anything he says unless it is corroborated by other evidence," he said.

The judge assessed Neal's benefit from cannabis dealing at almost £365,000 - including £40,000 he had paid towards the purchase of the Feathers Hotel with partner Kate Ryland.

In addition to Neal's share in the hotel, assets confiscated included jewellery, wine and a canal boat.

Neal was ordered to serve an additional two-and-a-half years in jail in default of payment.

After the hearing Ryland said the hotel will continue to run as before under her ownership.