New Monkey father and son face drugs charges
Sep 26 2007 by Chloe Griffiths, The Journal
A FATHER and a son involved in the running of a nightclub where a teenager died after taking ecstasy went on trial yesterday charged with drugs offences.
David Mallin and his son, also called David, are accused of allowing Class A drugs to be sold in the New Monkey Rave Club in Pallion Road, Sunderland.
Newcastle Crown Court heard the father and son, and their co-accused Graham Brown, had all been involved in running the club which has been blighted by complaints over the years and were aware drugs were being sold on the premises.
The trio all deny two counts of permitting the premises to be used for the supply of drugs and are all standing trial at crown court. One allegation relates to the Class A drug ecstasy, the other cannabis.
The charges follow a seven-month police investigation, during which undercover officers went into the late-night venue and were repeatedly offered drugs.
As a result of the operation, more than 160 police officers raided the premises on March 26 last year — seizing more than 100 ecstasy pills and arresting 18 people.
Ten people have already been charged with drugs offences, including David Mallin junior.
The club was eventually closed for six months by magistrates after an application by Northumbria Police, but because the venue does not sell alcohol it fell outside licensing laws and officers could only enforce a temporary ban.
Ian Graham, prosecuting, told the jury police were first alerted to the club in 2003 when 18-year-old Garry Henderson, of Cambridge Street in Cruddas Park, Newcastle, collapsed and died after a night out at the club. A post-mortem examination showed he had taken ecstasy.
Mr Graham told the jury his death was relevant to the case because it should have put the trio on the “utmost alert to the use of ecstasy” at the club.
He added: “The prosecution case is that the New Monkey is a club in which ecstasy is regularly and quite openly sold and used. All three of these defendants were involved to some extent in the running of the club.
David Mallin junior, 23, of Boston Street, Town End in Sunderland, is expected to deny being involved in the running of the New Monkey. Mallin senior, 45, of Dykelands Road, and Graham Brown, 45, of Atkinson Road, both Fulwell, Sunderland, will deny any knowledge of drug dealing on the premises.
The trial is expected to last for up to four weeks.
