John Anslow's father: My son is a victim, not a drug baron

John Anslow senior said his son was angry at his 22-year sentence and that he made his money as a professional gambler.

Anslow was last week found not guilty of the murder of Staffordshire father-of-two Richard Deakin.

After the verdict reporting restrictions were lifted on Anslow's previous convictions, which saw him given 22 years after admitting conspiring to supply cocaine and cannabis, and a further seven years for escaping from a prison van.

Anslow, who was violently sprung from the van by men wielding sledgehammers and a shotgun, went on the run to Cyprus and was sentenced for the drugs offences in his absence in 2012.

Now his father has contacted the Express & Star to hit out at police.

"He's been victimised by the police," claimed Mr Anslow, who lives in London.

"They've incorrectly painted my son as the head of this drugs organisation. They've got nobody else to pin it on and our family's got a bad reputation so they've fitted him up.

"It wasn't anything like as large-scale as they've made out and they sentenced him when he was in Cyprus so he couldn't even defend himself. It's barbaric."

Last week details of 33-year-old Tipton man's lavish lifestyle came to light. He regularly spent thousands of pounds on holidays, owned a £90,000 Porsche Panamera and splashed £36,000 on sponsoring Wolverhampton Wanderers players and matches.

Mr Anslow Snr said: "He was a professional gambler and made all his money on the track and in the casino. I've spoken to him and he knew he'd be found not guilty for the murder (of Mr Deakin).

"He's angry at his drugs sentence and he's on restricted visits in prison and restricted phone calls. It's ridiculous and a huge injustice."

West Midlands Police said they were satisfied that the judicial process had been 'fair and proper'.

Superintendent Jo Chilton said Anslow could offer 'no legitimate explanation' for his considerable wealth.