A 20-year-old man died in a Dubai hotel room after a package of cocaine he had swallowed burst open in his stomach, a court has heard. Jensen Westhead was found at the Avalon Hotel on December 5, 2024, the day after he arrived in the United Arab Emirates.
Five people, including Westhead's mother, deny manslaughter and drugs offences in an ongoing trial at Preston Crown Court. Among the defendants are Jensen's mother, Rebecca Hatch, and her partner Glenn Hatch.
Prosecution Case Details
The prosecution allege Mr and Mrs Hatch assisted the conspiracy by helping Jensen renew his passport and taking him to the airport, knowing the purpose of his trip to Dubai, Lancs Live reports. The other defendants are Alexander Tofton, who the prosecution say was the UK arm of the international smuggling operation and recruited Jensen into the conspiracy.
Joseph Watson is alleged to be the Dubai arm of the conspiracy and met with the courier when he arrived in the Emirates, a trial opening heard on November 10. Steven Stephenson met with Jensen at a hotel close to Manchester Airport shortly before the youngster caught his flight, the prosecution says. Stephenson's fingerprints were recovered from one of the packages removed from Jensen's stomach during the post mortem investigation.
Messages and Evidence
Opening the trial, prosecutor Jacob Hallam KC showed the jury mobile phone messages between Jensen and his mother as he travelled to the United Arab Emirates. On the flight, Jensen discussed in-flight entertainment and food, before telling his mum, 'need a sh*t real bad.' Mrs Hatch replied: "FFS don't go for a sh*t now son. Do it as soon as you land. Don't say nothing at all till you land there to no-one x", the jury was told.
The prosecution alleges this demonstrates Mrs Hatch's knowledge that her son was carrying drugs he would need to pass. On December 4, Jensen messaged his mother a photograph of laxatives with a Gulf label. Mrs Hatch replied discussing expensive perfume and duty-free, the prosecution said.
On December 5, officers from Lancashire Police visited the family home in Thornton-Cleveleys to break the news Jensen had died. Officers spoke to Mr and Mrs Hatch and recorded their responses. Mrs Hatch reportedly said: "I told you this would happen, they f***ing left him." However, when asked what she meant, she did not explain further.
Further Allegations
The couple said they knew Jensen had travelled abroad alone and had spoken to him on FaceTime while he was on the plane and at the hotel. They said he travelled alone on a holiday but was meeting friends there. Mr Hallam KC said: "The prosecution say they weren't being candid about their knowledge of, or involvement in Jensen's travels, nor their knowledge of or involvement in the purpose behind them.
"He travelled to Dubai in order to smuggle drugs out of this jurisdiction and import them into Dubai. He did that, we say, with the knowing assistance of Rebecca Hatch, Glenn Hatch and the other defendants in the dock."
The prosecutor said around the time of the trip to Dubai, Mrs Hatch's phone was in contact with Tufton. At one stage, Mr Hatch is alleged to have Googled 'drugs mule meaning.' On December 10, five days after Jensen died, Stephenson's phone was factory reset. Tofton changed his phone, the prosecution say.
Following his arrest, writing was recovered from Tofton's home address, which said 'feel sorry, feel responsible for death', which the prosecution say relates to Jensen. After Watson was arrested, messages were recovered from his phone including: "I don't know if I can come back to the UK because of that thing with that kid. Like there's a chance I would get nicked", the court heard.
Rebecca Hatch, 45, of Hatfield Close, Thornton Cleveleys; Glenn Hatch, 51, also of Hatfield Close, Thornton Cleveleys; Alexander Tofton, 33, of Tewkesbury Drive, Lytham St Annes and Steven Stephenson, 48, of St Lawrence Road, Denton, Manchester, are charged with conspiracy to fraudulently evade the prohibition on exportation of a class A drug. Stephenson has also been charged with being concerned in the supply of cocaine. All five deny manslaughter.
