County drug boss lost cancer battle while serving jail sentence

INQUEST HELD BECAUSE HE DIED WHILE IN STATE CUSTODY

- By RUCSANDRA MOLDOVEANU

A DRUG lord who amassed more than £8 million from his criminal empire has died while still a prisoner.

John Dawes died, aged 56, at Nottingham City Hospital on July 5, after a battle with lymphoma, a cancer that affects the lymphatic system.

Dawes was diagnosed with stage four lymphoma in 2020 or 2021, with the disease getting “progressively worse”.

During a short hearing at Nottingham Coroner's Court yesterday, coroner Amanda Bewley said Dawes was a serving prisoner at HMP Nottingham at the time of his death, having last been recalled in 2023.