Shooting a man in the jaw during an altercation at a fair, driving with bags of cocaine on the passenger seat, skunk cannabis in the boot and a smorgasbord of drugs stashed in bedrooms, kitchens, dining and living rooms.
These are some of the allegations contained in an extradition application by UK authorities against a fugitive British mother and son arrested in Sea Point and Constantia in Cape Town on January 26 with the assistance of Interpol.
Callum Gower, 27, and Caroline Sevier, 51, face charges in the UK going back almost a decade. The extradition application unveils why they are wanted by the authorities.
Gower faces charges of possession of an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and possession of an offensive weapon in a public place during an altercation at a local fair in Fish Market Road, Rye, East Sussex in May 2014.
The second set of offences dates back to 2016/17 for his alleged part in a conspiracy to supply class A and B controlled drugs, namely cocaine, MDMA (a stimulant and psychedelic) and cannabis.
Investigating officer in the 2014 case, detective sergeant Jason Tuck from the East Sussex division of the Sussex Police Force, said in documents that formed part of the extradition request that Gower and Robbie Penn had a history of confrontations.
According to Tuck, Penn was at the fair with his brother and friends when Gower entered, looked directly at him and said: “Do you want it?” He replied: “If you have a problem with me, I will fight you, but put your weapons down first and we will go and fight on the field and settle it like men.”
Gower allegedly produced a “gun”, shot Penn in the jaw and fired three more rounds hitting him in the left upper arm, left lower back and the right shoulder. Penn, realising he had been shot with an air gun, chased Gower, who then allegedly produced an “offensive weapon” (an extendable baton or “cosh”), fled and hid at a nearby pub.
Penn showed the police his injuries and was admitted to a hospital. Gower disappeared and efforts to locate him were unsuccessful. X-rays revealed a ball bearing lodged in Penn’s jaw.
On a daily basis, I have to avoid threats and targeting from violence and extortion. The basic conditions of sanitation, bedding, cleanliness, and hygiene are terrible.
— Callum Gower, 27, in Pollsmoor prison
Gower’s attorney Bruce Hendricks told the Wynberg magistrate’s court on Monday — where his client had planned to apply for bail — that he was 17 years old at the time of the incident, was visiting his girlfriend, also a minor, and was allegedly threatened by Penn, his brother and friends.
“Gower was verbally threatened by an older man, Robbie Penn. He was with his adult brother and a few other men, five or six of them, and they were bullies. The group then started assaulting. Gower was concerned for his own safety and the safety of his minor girlfriend.
“He acted in self-defence to prevent the attack but managed to escape and ran away, but they chased him further. They were armed with various weapons including chains. Gower was a minor during this incident, and he was attacked by multiple adults and defended himself,” said Hendricks.
Nearly three years later police in the UK stopped stop a blue Vauxhall Astra driven by Gower’s mother, Caroline Sevier. She allegedly directed officers to her handbag on the front passenger seat, when asked for ID, where they noticed “four bags containing a white substance” later confirmed by forensic analysis to be cocaine. A tub containing tobacco and herbal cannabis was allegedly found under the front seat along with more cannabis in the boot. She was arrested.
Police searched three addresses in Hastings, based on documents found in the car, and allegedly found £23,075 (R554,800 at today’s exchange rate) and drugs worth an estimated value of up to £399,455 (R9.6m).
A forensics report allegedly found Gower’s fingerprints at all three locations and on a “cash tin”.
Gower arrived in Cape Town in 2019 for a holiday with his fiancé but decided to stay and was living in upmarket Constantia when he was arrested.
In his bail application he said: “I developed ... into a crypto entrepreneur, it’s basically the same as trading stocks. I purchased low-priced cryptocurrencies and hold them until I can sell them at a profit. It is a booming growing industry, and I can earn a really good income.”
Sevier, 51, was released on bail in the UK and then fled the country. She was arrested in Mouille Point.
Police spokesperson Brig Athlenda Mathe said: “Tracing the fugitives came as a result of collaboration between Interpol’s bureau in Pretoria, UK authorities, the SAPS national task force and the Hawks.”
Gower, who is being held in custody at Pollsmoor prison, told the court he feared for his health and life. “On a daily basis, I have to avoid threats and targeting from violence and extortion. The basic conditions of sanitation, bedding, cleanliness and hygiene are terrible.”
Hendricks, who represents both of the accused, told TimesLIVE Premium that he was optimistic they would be granted bail — after their applications for bail were postponed this week — and added that they would fight the extradition request.
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