A dad wanted after being charged with supplying crack cocaine and cannabis died suddenly in Spain.
A warrant had been issued for the arrest of Paul Hepplestall, 45, after he failed to answer a postal requisition charging him with possession with intent to supply Class A and B drugs and possession of criminal property, namely £13,125 and €50 in cash.
However Mr Hepplestall, whose address was listed on court documents as Holdsworth Drive, Kensington, died in Spain in February. In a funeral notice posted in the ECHO his family said: "He was beloved son of Sheila and Sheila's partner Les, (who Paul described as his 'mate'). A loving dad to Flyn, Ethan and Mason and much loved brother of Jason and Jeff. Dear nephew of Mary, Joe and Trish and a special uncle, cousin and a friend to many. 'You'll never walk alone Son'."
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Mr Hepplestall was laid to rest on April 21 at Our Lady Mount Carmel Church in Dingle. His family asked for donations to the mental health charity MIND in lieu of flowers.
On April 24, the warrant for his arrest was formally withdrawn at Liverpool Magistrates' Court as, according to a register of the hearing, "defendant is now deceased". The charges related to an incident on April 14, 2020 and were part of Operation Hammer, Merseyside Police's long-term ongoing operation to tackle drug dealing related offending.
Mr Hepplestall had a troubled past, and in 2017 was jailed for 20 months after posting a video online of himself threatening to blow up mosques with "pineapples", slang for grenades according to prosecutors, and to slash Muslims with a Samurai sword.
Mr Hepplestall was arrested and apologised for the video, describing himself as a "f****** d***head" and saying he made a "really bad mistake". Liverpool Crown Court heard he had 37 previous convictions for 47 offences, including threatening behaviour on three occasions, and had been jailed for dealing cocaine.
Judge Elizabeth Nicholls, sentencing Mr Hepplestall for sending malicious communications, told him that after the terrorist attacks: "People looked for a commonality, shared interests, provided support, and as one voice condemned the action.
“You recorded yourself on your phone, and uploaded that message to the internet. The message was threatening, frightening and full of racial bile. That message went viral."
The cause of Mr Hepplestall's death was not immediately clear.
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