LONDON – Saturday, March 14, 2026 – William Todd, a notorious figure already serving two life sentences for murder, has been handed an additional seven years in prison after being convicted of orchestrating a sophisticated scheme from behind bars to pervert the course of justice. The plot aimed to free international drug traffickers involved in a £45 million MDMA smuggling operation, exposing a brazen attack on the integrity of the UK’s legal system.
The conviction, delivered yesterday, March 13, 2026, by a jury, marks a significant victory for the National Crime Agency (NCA) and underscores the persistent threat posed by determined criminals, even those incarcerated. Todd’s audacious plan involved fabricating claims of jury tampering during the high-profile trial of Danny Brown and Stefan Baldauf, who were facing charges for smuggling 448kg of MDMA to Australia.
The Charges Against William Todd
William Todd, 61, was found guilty of conspiring to pervert the course of justice. This charge stems from his calculated efforts, beginning in June 2022, to undermine the drug trafficking trial at Kingston Crown Court. The scheme sought to invalidate the proceedings by falsely alleging that jurors had been bribed to convict the accused. His co-conspirators, Danny Thomas, 46, and Sheree Avard, 41, were also sentenced to three years and four months, and one year in prison respectively for their roles in the conspiracy.
The elaborate plot unfolded in two distinct phases. Initially, in June 2022, as the drug traffickers’ jury retired, false reports were sent to the court and police claiming five jurors had been bribed. This first attempt faltered when investigators quickly discovered that two of the named jurors had been discharged months prior, immediately raising suspicions and triggering an NCA investigation. Undeterred, Todd, operating from his prison cell, and Thomas made a second attempt in August 2022. They recruited Avard to contact Brown’s solicitor with fabricated stories of jury coercion, even attempting to procure a false deposition from Romania.
“This case highlights the extreme lengths some individuals will go to undermine the justice system, even from within prison walls. The integrity of our courts is paramount, and the NCA is committed to protecting it from all forms of corruption.”
The scale of the underlying drug smuggling operation, which Todd attempted to disrupt, was immense: 448kg of MDMA with an estimated street value of £45 million. While Todd’s scheme did not involve direct financial theft, its aim was to subvert justice, allowing high-level drug traffickers to escape lengthy sentences, thereby impacting public safety and the rule of law. The primary victim was the UK’s justice system itself, which incurred significant costs and disruption due to the investigation and subsequent prosecution of Todd and his accomplices.
Who Is William Todd?
William Todd is a name synonymous with serious crime in the United Kingdom. Before this latest conviction, he was already serving two life sentences for murder and attempted murder. In 2001, he was convicted at Reading Crown Court for the “execution-style” murder of Alex El-Hachadi and the attempted murder of Arthur De Sousa. Described as a “wealthy businessman” and “car dealer” prior to his initial conviction, Todd made national headlines in December 2001 when he dramatically escaped from Winchester Prison, only to be recaptured five days later. His history paints a picture of a cunning and determined individual with a clear disregard for legal boundaries.
The investigation into Todd’s prison-orchestrated plot was spearheaded by the National Crime Agency’s Anti-Corruption Unit. The scheme began to unravel in June 2022 when the initial, flawed jury tampering claims were made. NCA investigators meticulously reviewed court CCTV footage, identifying Danny Thomas entering the court only when the jury was sworn in, a crucial moment where he recorded jurors’ names under Todd’s instruction.
The breakthrough came with Thomas’s arrest at Heathrow Airport on November 24, 2022. A mobile phone found in his possession contained damning evidence, including recorded conversations and screenshots of messages directly linking him to the conspiracy. This phone also shared a number used to contact Brown’s solicitor. Further investigation led NCA officers to uncover Todd’s secret phone, concealed within a DVD player in his prison cell, saved under the alias “Ari Gold.” The linking of these numbers definitively exposed William Todd as the architect of the plot.
With his conviction on March 13, 2026, William Todd has been sentenced to an additional seven years in prison, to be served consecutively with his existing life sentences. This means Todd will remain incarcerated for an even longer period, a testament to the NCA’s resolve in pursuing those who seek to undermine justice. The drug traffickers, Danny Brown and Stefan Baldauf, were ultimately jailed in December 2022 for 26 and 28 years respectively, demonstrating that Todd’s efforts to derail their trial ultimately failed.
This case serves as a stark reminder that the threat of perverting the course of justice can emerge from unexpected places, even from within correctional facilities. For readers, it is crucial to remain vigilant about any attempts to compromise legal proceedings. Red flags include unusual or unsolicited contact related to ongoing trials, particularly if it involves claims of impropriety or offers of influence. The ability of a high-risk prisoner like William Todd to orchestrate such a complex scheme from within prison highlights the ongoing need for robust security protocols and intelligence gathering within the correctional system to prevent similar future attempts. The integrity of our justice system is a collective responsibility, and vigilance is key to its protection. For more on related fraud investigations, visit our archives.
