Lord Of The Drug Rings

COURT TOLD TOLKIEN GREAT GRANDSON IS DEALER

JRR TOLKIEN'S great grandson used an inheritance from the Lord of the
Rings films to fund a shop where he dealt cannabis, a court heard yesterday.

Piers Crombleholme, 27, owns an "alternative" shop where cops found 39
marijuana plants, more than UKP1600 of cannabis resin, cocaine and
ecstasy when they raided it in March.

Crombleholme has admitted possessing the drugs but had to face a jury
after denying that he was selling the marijuana.

Prosecutors allege he used his shop, Chalklines, paid for with his
inheritance and his mother Judith Tolkien's money, as a front for drug
dealing.

He told cops: "I have spent about UKP50,000 of my own money on the
shop.

"It was from my inheritance from the Tolkien fund which I get one per
cent of. I have received UKP100,000 so far because of the success of the
three films."

Prosecutor Anthony Potter said: "Among legitimate, uncontroversial
items at his shop, he was selling cannabis to people who knew him."

Pots, tins and plastic containers were also found stuffed full of
cannabis in his shop and his flat upstairs.

However, Crombleholme claims it was for personal use to be shared with
his girlfriend Rebecca Berry and another flatmate in Dudley, West Midlands.

Officers also found two sets of scales, UKP280 in cash, resealable
plastic bags and an alleged receipt book of sales to drugs clients,
Wolverhampton Crown Court heard.

Mr Potter added: "In a letter addressed to an uncle Chris, he says, 'I
own a weapon and drugs shop.'

"We say that was something of a confession."

Tolkien's characters Gandalf and Bilbo smoke "pipeweed" throughout the
fantasy trilogy.

However, he always denied assertions from some researchers that he was
referring to cannabis.

The trial is expected to finish on Monday.