Man, 81, who was drug dealer’s getaway driver to overcome ‘isolation’, is jailed

AN 81-YEAR-OLD man who acted as a getaway driver to overcome his “isolation” has been jailed for helping a drug dealer escape justice after stabbing a rival in a potentially fatal attack.

Ian Hemmens, of Chichester, West Sussex, was sentenced at Portsmouth Crown Court after he was found guilty of assisting an offender, alleged to be Mahamud Sami, who has fled the country to Bahrain.

The retired burger van worker, wearing a beige jacket, showed no emotion as he was told by Judge Roger Hetherington he would serve a jail term of nine months.

His co-defendant, Akeem Adebayo, 23, of Colindale, London, was jailed for nine years for wounding with intent and two charges of possessing cocaine and heroin with intent to supply.

The court heard that Hemmens had acted as a driver in his green Citroen C3 for Adebayo and his co-drug dealer, Mr Sami, from Chichester to Bognor Regis on March 10.

Amy Packham, prosecuting, told the court a dispute broke out with a rival “drug dealer”, Dimitrijs Semelis, from Lithuania which led to Adebayo and Mr Sami chasing him while families with young children were nearby.

Adebayo then held Mr Semelis on the ground and shouted “Just stab him” three times, while Mr Sami stabbed him five or six times, Ms Packham said.

Describing the injuries suffered by Mr Semelis, which including a “potentially fatal” punctured lung, Ms Packham said: “It was life-threatening, he was lucky he was treated so quickly and successfully.”

Mark Kessler, defending Hemmens, said: “It’s unusual to find a man of Mr Hemmens’ background should be in court at his age for a matter of this nature, it’s very strange indeed.”