A former London gang leader who was described as a “dangerous” criminal and nicknamed “The General” was rehomed in Newport to force him to cut ties with his previous life but he still can’t stay out of trouble.

Joland Giwa, 36, was caught with around £17,000 worth of drugs at a property where he was living in Risca near Newport, a sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court heard on Friday.

The former gang leader once led an 80-strong south London gang who led a campaign of terror for several years in Croydon. In 2017 the gang was behind a surge in violence on the streets of Croydon which saw stabbings, shootings and murder.

A London judge said there was a “significant risk” of him reoffending and the decision was made to send him to south Wales and cut him from his criminal convictions in London. The late MP for Newport West, Paul Flynn, said there was “deep outrage and anger” about him being “dumped” on the area.

At the time he wrote to then Home Secretary Theresa May: “Understandably there is deep outrage and anger that a man described as a ‘dangerous criminal’ and a ‘serious threat to the public and young people’ has been transferred to a residential address in the heart of urban Newport.”

UK Government efforts to have Giwa deported have repeatedly failed due to issues over which country should take him and some reportedly refusing to accept him. Don’t miss a court report by signing up to our crime newsletter here

At the hearing on Friday, April 10, Nigel Fryer, prosecuting, told how on February 17 a car driven by Giwa was followed to his home address in Risca and upon his arrival at the house police followed the defendant into the address where he was arrested.

Officers found him to be in possession of a backpack containing crack cocaine with a street value of £13,500, cocaine with a street value of £700, and heroine with a street value of £1,645. Giwa also had £2,040 in cash and a phone which was said to be a class A drug line.

Hashim Salmman, for Giwa, told the court Giwa arrived in the UK alone from Sierra Leone aged four. He was placed in foster care and Mr Salmman said “language and cultural barriers” had affected his education but he managed to receive GCSEs and NVQs.

He explained how at the age of 36 Giwa’s indefinite leave to remain is still pending and therefore means he can’t work or claim benefits.

The court heard how while he was in custody Giwa’s eight-month-old son died, which Mr Salmman described as a “natural, sad, tragic and sudden” death.

Judge Christopher Felstead said: “I accept there’s another side to Giwa but unfortunately he has chosen to deal Class A drugs for the second time.”

Risca, of Holly Road, Ty Sign, Risca, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply class A drugs and possession of criminal property at a plea and trial preparation hearing. He was also in breach of a suspended sentence from June 2025 for affray.

The court heard Giwa has nine previous convictions for 16 offences, including two previous relevant drug convictions. In February 2020 he was convicted of possession with intent to supply a number of different class A and B drugs of which he was sentenced to four years in prison. The judge said this previous conviction was “plainly highly relevant”.

Judge Felstead sentenced Giwa to three years and 11 months in prison of which he said he will serve up to half in custody and the remainder on licence.

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