Emmerdale's Lucy Pargeter 'engaged to drug lord who bought equipment for Breaking Bad-style amphetamine lab'
The actress was pictured visiting HMP Hollesley Bay in Suffolk, where her fiancé Elliott Walker, 54, is jailed, The Sun on Sunday reported.
Walker, of Kidbrooke, southeast London, was sentenced to six years behind bars in December 2021 for his part in the creation of a giant drug production facility in picturesque Henley-in-Arden, Warwickshire.
On September 17 that year he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to produce class B drugs, after admitting he bought specialist equipment for the lab.
Run by gangster John Keet, the West Midlands lab was capable of producing 400 kilos of amphetamine per month, worth up to £10m on the streets.
Lucy, 48, who has played Chas Dingle in the ITV soap since 2002, and revealed three years ago there was a new beau in the picture.
Speaking on the podcast The Heal Is Real in 2022, she said: 'I'm in a new relationship now. Exclusive. Don't say anything.'
Rumours ramped up in July last year after the soap star shared a clip to Instagram showcasing a new huge diamond ring on her wedding finger.
Sharing a video of her unwrapping a new painting, the new piece of jewellery was put on full display when she teared back the pink tissue paper.
While Walker's identity has been a secret until now, once released he would be stepfather to the three daughters Lucy shares with former long-term partner Rudi Coleano.
The couple never married but Lucy gave birth to Lola in 2005 and then twins Betsy and Missy in 2017 following a long IVF journey.
Lucy and Rudi came close to marrying in 2012, but opted against it for fear of upsetting their friends.
Speaking to The Sun at the time, Lucy said: 'We were in Dubai about a month ago and we said: "Sod it, while we're here, let's do it".
'Then I thought all our mates would be like, "Oh cheers, thanks for the invite".'
Instead Lucy and Rudi confirmed the news of their split in a statement to Digital Spy, 12 months after first confirming their engagement in 2019.
A spokesperson said at the time: 'Lucy Pargeter has confirmed she has separated from her long term partner Rudi Coleano and while no longer together their main priority is raising their three daughters.'
National Crime Agency investigators infiltrated the secretive app EncroChat that gangster John Keet was using along to run the lab with his associates
Lucy is believed to have made a 500-mile round journey to see Walker in the category D jail.
A source told The Sun on Sunday: 'Her relationship has been the talk of the prison because some other visitors obviously recognised Lucy the other day as she's been on Emmerdale for ages.
'And Elliott has made no secret of telling other inmates she's his fiancee.'
The gang members were all arrested on suspicion of drug offences at their home addresses on the same day the factory was raided.
John Keet, of Chalfont St Giles, Bucks, admitted conspiracy to produce amphetamines, one count of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs, two counts of conspiracy to supply Class B drugs, one count of conspiracy to import class B drugs and one of conspiracy to conceal, convert of transfer criminal property.
He was jailed for a total of 18 years at Kingston Crown Court.
Andrew Gurney, 52, known as 'The Geek' due to his specialist electrical installation and plumbing skills, converted a double garage outbuilding into the drugs lab.
Gurney, was convicted of conspiracy to produce amphetamine and money laundering.
He was originally jailed for six years and three months but the Court of Appeal found the sentence to be unduly lenient and increased it to 10 years.
Keith Davis, also of Chalfont St Giles, was convicted of conspiracy to supply Class B drugs and money laundering.
He was originally jailed for five years before the Court of Appeal doubled his sentence to 10 years.
Bartosz Kaminski, of Henley-in-Arden, Warwickshire, admitted possession of a CS spray but was cleared of drugs offences.
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