Dad took his life over girlfriend’s cocaine smuggling
A DEVASTATED young dad took his own life after finding out his model girlfriend had been working as a cocaine smuggler, an inquest has heard.
David Swankie, 29, was described as a popular father-of-two with everything to live for when he met Sarah Riches two years ago.
But the mechanical engineer was left devastated when his 26-year-old girlfriend was exposed as playing a role in a plot to bring cocaine from Mexico to their home town of Wigan.
The scheme was likened to TV crime drama Breaking Bad, as the mastermind behind the scheme had used his car wash business to launder drugs money – just like the hit show’s Walter White. As Riches awaited trial, she and Mr Swankie – who knew nothing of her criminal activities – argued and he initially moved out of their shared home only to return when she pleaded for them to stay together.
Riches was jailed for seven years last December, and the inquest heard Mr Swankie was left dealing with her ‘gangland associates’ who began ‘harassing him.’
He lost his job, lost weight and began drinking heavily, but never told his family and friends he was struggling to cope. In January, Mr Swankie messaged his mother Shirley saying: “I love you all very much – but I will see people in another life.”
He was found hanged at his home the following day.
Mrs Swankie, 53, paid tribute to a son that ‘had everything to live for.’ She told the short hearing in Bolton: “I just wish he had told one of us about how he was feeling.”
Police said there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding Mr Swankie’s death. Recording a conclusion of suicide, coroner Jennifer Leeming said: “I do agree with the family that David was a person with everything to live for and had friends and family and I am so sorry for what happened.”
Police said the drugs Riches helped smuggle into the UK were concealed in computer hard drives, which had the internal components removed, before they were sent to addresses in Wigan for onward production and supply.
Ringleader Paul Law, 36, arranged for the cocaine to be imported via unsuspecting online courier companies and used his car valeting company called ‘P&D Auto Clean’ as a ‘charade’ for money laundering and cocaine production by the group.
Police estimate 40lbs of adulterated cocaine would have been generated from 22 separate deliveries to Wigan identified as originating from Mexico. All were brought into Britain using unsuspecting courier firms.
Law was jailed for 14 years after he was convicted of conspiracy to supply cocaine and cocaine importation following a two month trial at Liverpool Crown Court last year. Riches, two other women and five men were found guilty of various drugs offences and jailed for a total of 63 years.