Secrets of drug deals revealed in Taylor Williams trial

Wraps of class A drugs are concealed in the mouths of runners, and more intimate areas, when they go to meet addicts in neutral locations, a court has heard.

It has been revealed in the murder trial of Bromley teenager Taylor Williams, who was a drugs runner for the Ray county lines network.

Winchester Crown Court heard on Thursday that in the altercation that led to his death, Williams and his associates were allegedly asked to squat so that an intimate search of the anus and testicles could be carried out by the accused.

Olamide Soyege and Terence Maccabee are said to have entered the drugs den on Shooters Way on August 31, 2019 to rob the network.

Prosecutor Sarah Jones QC told the jury on Thursday that Paige Taylor managed to secure the two men access to the flat in Kingfisher House, which belonged to a friend of hers but had been 'cuckooed' by the Ray network.

Cuckooing is where drugs lines exploit addicts and vulnerable people, who allow them to use their property as a base of operations in exchange for drugs or money.

After Soyege and Maccabee entered the flat, they are said to have locked the door behind them, whilst Miss Taylor "kept watch on the street".

“The only reason for locking that door is to prevent the Ray boys leaving, or anybody else entering to interrupt what was happening," Ms Jones told the court.

Soyege and Maccabee made a cautious approach into the room, according to Ray network representative Prince Orefo, who is listed on the indictment as one of the victims of the robbery.

After Maccabee had asked if they had any cannabis, Soyege allegedly pulled out a knife and put it to Orefo's throat. Orefo then described how he patted down his trouser pockets and took their phones.

Ms Jones, concluding her case on Thursday afternoon, summarised Orefo's earlier evidence: "[Soyege] had the cheek to tell us to squat.

"He was asking to see up our bum and around our balls."

But, according to Ms Jones, when Taylor Williams got up and pushed Soyege, a fight ensued that led to the fatal stabbing of the teenager.

"You have seen Soyege try to weaponise embarrassment during this trial," she told the jury.

"He was scaring or shaming those three boys from ever returning, they would be too scared of him to return again.

"Mr Williams was trying to avoid being shamed and robbed, and the punishment of his defiance rained down on him immediately."

It is claimed that this was the second such robbery that the gang were involved in that day.

Soyege, Maccabee, Taylor and another associate are said to have played a part in robbing a runner from the Coco line in Bermuda Park, Popley, earlier in the evening of August 31, 2019.

After setting up the meet, the runner went to greet Soyege but the 29-year-old instead punched him in the stomach, according to a witness who was there waiting to get drugs from the unidentified runner.

"Some drugs flew out of his mouth," Ms Jones paraphrased the witness. "He got dragged off down an alley by [Soyege] and Paige Taylor. [Maccabee] and [an associate] followed."

The witness went on to the tell the court earlier in the trial that whilst Maccabee and Soyege held the runner down, Paige Taylor used a spoon to extract drugs from his bottom.

Soyege has said that the robbery in Bermuda Park did not happen. He also claims that they were at Kingfisher House to buy drugs from the Ray network, rather than rob them.

He said when giving evidence earlier that the altercation happened when Taylor Williams attacked them.

Both Maccabee and Soyege are accused of murder, robbery and conspiracy to rob. Maccabee was acquitted of possession of a knife in Shooters Way after the judge deemed that he had no case to answer. Meanwhile, Soyege still stands accused of that charge.

Maccabee is also accused of having a knife in Bermuda Park, Popley, earlier that evening.

Paige Taylor is not accused of murder, but does stand trial charged with robbery and conspiracy to rob.

The trio deny all charges. The trial continues.