Shivangi Sinha
Prime Video’s two-part documentary, ‘Breaking Dad: Britain’s Unlikeliest Drug Dealer,’ delves into the unexpected double life of Richard Lubbock. On the surface, he appeared to be an ordinary man leading an unremarkable life. However, a police raid on his apartment uncovered a shocking truth—he was a major drug dealer in possession of the largest stash of crystal meth ever seized by authorities. Overnight, the seemingly innocent and unassuming man became a media sensation, with every hidden aspect of his life coming under public scrutiny.
Richard Lubbock Used to Work in the Coin Business Before He Started Dealing Drugs
Richard Lubbock grew up in Elstree, Hertfordshire, in the United Kingdom, as part of a middle-class family. His father ran the family’s coin-dealing business, and after completing his studies, Richard followed in his footsteps. While he was a member of the LGBTQ community, his life took an unexpected turn in his twenties when he came across an advertisement in The Jewish Chronicle for a new charity club for young people. Intrigued, he decided to check it out, which led to him meeting Marilyn. Not long after, the two decided to get married, and with the birth of their son James, Richard embraced family life. He provided a stable and secure upbringing for his son and fulfilled his responsibilities as a devoted husband and father.
After his son left for university, Richard traveled to South Africa for business, where he met a few men. Around the same time, Marilyn confided in him that she had fallen in love with a woman. In an honest and heartfelt conversation, they both admitted to each other that they were gay. Though their marriage came to an end, they remained on good terms and continued to come together as a family. During this period, Richard began frequenting nightclubs, where he struggled with social awkwardness. He found that using certain drugs helped him loosen up, making social interactions easier. Over time, he realized that having drugs on him made people more likely to approach him and served as an easy way to start conversations and connect with others.
Richard soon became dependent on drugs himself and was dealing, too. His son began noticing drastic changes in his father’s behavior. He shaved his head, adopted a completely different style of dressing, and immersed himself in hard rock music. Leaving behind his family’s coin-dealing business, he sold the house where he had once built a life with Marilyn and James. With the money, he purchased two luxurious penthouse apartments in Limehouse, East London. Before long, Richard had fully immersed himself in the world of drug dealing and conducted a lot of his affairs from his home. As he became more involved, he found himself running in the same circles as some of the city’s most notorious drug lords. His trade of choice was methamphetamine—better known as crystal meth.
Richard Lubbock Was Imprisoned For Four Years For His Crimes
In early 2007, when Marilyn passed away, Richard Lubbock was so deeply struggling with his addiction that he was unable to attend her funeral. This left his son, James, to cope with the immense loss on his own. Richard’s lifestyle persisted for another two years. However, in 2009, everything came crashing down when the police raided his apartment and seized a staggering £1.5 million worth of drugs. The news of his arrest quickly spread, capturing public attention not only because of the scale of his crimes but also due to the stark contrast between his gentle, unassuming appearance and the dark, criminal underworld he had been a part of.
Richard was tried, found guilty of his crimes, and sentenced to eight years in prison. He remained incarcerated until 2013 when he was released on parole after serving half his sentence. He later admitted that almost immediately after his release, he relapsed and turned to drugs once again. He kept his addiction a secret from his son, James. In 2019, the latter published his book ‘Breaking Dad,’ which detailed his father’s descent into the drug world and the impact it had on their family. The book received widespread acclaim, but James was devastated when he later discovered his father suffering from pneumonia—only to realize that Richard had relapsed and was using drugs once again.
Richard Lubbock is Leading a Sober and Fulfilling Life With His Family Today
In January 2024, Richard Lubbock suffered a heart attack, and doctors warned him that continuing his destructive lifestyle would cost him his life. This stark prognosis became the wake-up call he needed to finally quit. In a June 2024 interview, he reflected on how the diagnosis had shocked him into realizing that it was time for a change. Now 72 years old, he lives in a flat provided by a housing association in the UK. He has rebuilt his relationship with his son and remains close to his family. His two granddaughters mean the world to him, and he has expressed that his primary focus is now on spending quality time with them and his loved ones.
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