Wigan lottery winner, 80, helped build counterfeit drugs empire, court told | Greater Manchester
An 80-year-old man who won £2.4 million in the national lottery helped set up a multimillion-pound drugs empire producing counterfeit tablets on an industrial scale, a court heard.
Manchester crown court heard John Eric Spiby was the leader of a £288 million drugs operation centered around his “quiet rural” home near Wigan.
Spiby won the money in 2010 and millions of tablets called diazepam were flooded into the area, the court heard. Diazepam, also known as Valium, calms the nervous system to treat anxiety, muscle spasms, seizures, and alcohol withdrawal.
The court heard he also “provided facilities and helped adapt facilities and purchase thousands of pounds worth of machinery” to make drugs.
Spiby was one of four men, including his son John Colin Spiby, who police said were part of an organized crime gang producing drugs. “on an industrial scale” and we supply firearms.
John Eric Spiby denied any knowledge of the plot, but was found guilty by a jury after a trial at Bolton Crown Court of conspiracy to manufacture class C drugs and conspiracy to supply class C drugs.
He was also found guilty of two counts of possession of a firearm, possession of ammunition and perverting the course of justice and was sentenced to 16 years and six months in prison.
Passing sentence, Judge Clarke KC told Spiby Sr: “Despite winning the lottery, you continued to live a life of crime beyond your otherwise retirement years.”
Three other men who were part of the organization – John Colin Spiby, 37, Lee Drury, 45, and Callum Dorian, 35 – were also jailed.
Bolton crown court heard Spiby Sr. boasted in a group chat: “Elon and Jeff better watch their backs.” A senior judge described the case as the largest of its kind.
Prosecutor Emma Clarke said the conspirators were involved in producing counterfeit pills with a street value of up to £288 million.
Adam Kent KC, for Spiby Sr, said the “principle of this operation” was Dorian rather than his client, the organiser, the orchestra and the director. Referring to Spiby Sr., he said, in Dorian’s words, “the man we joke with is a millionaire.”
Kent also drew attention to the “oldness” of the pistols found in his client’s home, which he said belonged to the First World War.
During the hearing, the judge repeatedly touched on the scale of the criminal operation. He said it was concluded that this was “the largest drug production ever uncovered by police”.
Clarke noted how much of the production was centered on Spiby Sr.’s home, a “seemingly rural, quiet area”. He said he was “senior in both name and role”. Drury was sentenced to nine years and nine months, John Colin Spiby to nine years, and his father to 16 years and six months. Dorian was sentenced to 12 years in prison in 2024.
