The courtroom scene couldn’t have been further from the sunkissed terrace of the Love Island villa because Jack Fincham was today released on bail after two counts of being in charge of a dangerously out-of-control dog.
The former stationary sales manager and his then-girlfriend Dani Dyer quickly rose to fame as one of the most well-known couples in the history of reality TV. It was, therefore, no surprise when the likeable pair, then just 26 and 21 respectively, were crowned joint winners of season four, flying back to the UK as the nation’s sweethearts.
The couple seemed unstoppable, but sadly, their summer romance was not to last. Jack and Dani parted ways just eight months after winning the Love Island contest. A brief reconciliation followed, but ultimately, it didn’t work out, and they called time on their relationship for good in April 2019.
Dani, who is engaged to footballer Jarrod Bowen, is now a mum of three sons, Santiago, four, and twin daughters, Summer and Star, who will turn two in May. Meanwhile, Jack, who shares five-year-old Blossom with ex Casey Ranger, is now in a relationship with TOWIE girlfriend Chloe Brockett, who today wept from the stands at Southend Magistrates ‘ Court as her beau was sentenced to six weeks behind bars.
But how did Jack, 32, go from being an ITV darling to serving time at His Majesy’s pleasure? Here, the Mirror takes a look.
‘ Cocaine binge ‘
In 2019, things started to go wrong for Jack when his ex-girlfriend Dani gave him a harsh ultimatum during a “cocaine binge.” Opening up in a candid interview with The Sun, in February of that year, Jack revealed he’d made a “terrible, terrible error” after using cocaine on a wild night out and vowed he wouldn’t be trying it again.
Jack, then still newly famous, shared: “I’m in a new world of partying and stuff, and being in circles that I would never normally have been in. Although I’d never normally be in these circumstances, I’ve been given cocaine a lot since winning the show.
” But I went out all night, I was drinking, and I just got carried away and made a stupid, stupid mistake which I wish I’d never done, you know. I regret it. “
He continued:” That night it was a complete error in judgment. It’s a silly thing to do, it’s not something I’ve made a habit of. I mean, what an idiot. It’s not a reflection of my character, but I’ve had a blowout. It was a lapse in judgment, but it’s not something that I’ll ever do again. “
Driving under the influence
Unfortunately, this was not the end of Jack’s issues with drugs. After being spotted acting suspiciously in a South London car park in the early hours of the morning, concerned onlookers quizzed Jack in July 2021. When police arrived, they called Jack’s family to collect him and bring him back home to Swanley, Kent, deciding that there had not been a crime committed.
Sevenoaks Magistrates Court heard Jack’s defense of two charges of driving while under the influence of drugs in a previous incident just days later. In January 2020, police stopped the actor while he was driving his £30, 000 Mercedes close to his house.
When Jack was pulled over, it was claimed that he had 239 micrograms of benzoylecgonine, a by-product of cocaine, as well as 632 micrograms of diazepam, or Valium.
Jack’s next hearing was scheduled for December of that year after being initially released on bail. Just a few days before his court appearance, his legal team claimed that the drug test may have resulted in a “false positive.” The Crown Prosecution Service, however, ultimately decided to drop the charges.
A source at the time claimed Jack was trying to reshape himself in the midst of his legal battles. They asserted that Jack has been supporting causes of his choosing, such as giving back to Great Ormond Street Hospital, by raising money for children there.
“He wants to go into 2022 with a positive public perception. His main goal is to resurrect himself and become a TV personality once more.
Driving ban
Unfortunately, history repeated itself in 2023, when Jack was stopped by police on the A2 close to his Kent home while speeding. A Kent Police spokesperson told the Mirror at the time: “On Saturday 26 August 2023, officers arrested a 31-year-old man from Swanley on suspicion of drug driving, careless driving, driving without insurance and driving while displaying false number plates, on the A2 near Dartford. He has been bailed until November 26 until 2023.
Additionally, Jack was required to complete 60 hours of unpaid community service within a 12-month period and receive a 36-month driving ban. The Magistrates were informed that Jack’s system contained more than 10 micrograms of cocaine per litre of blood, plus 800 micrograms of benzoylecgonine per litre, exceeding the legal limits of 10 and 50.
Additionally, the court was informed that Jack had previously been prohibited from driving while intoxicated within the previous ten years, which required that he receive at least a three-year suspension for this second conviction.
Roger Haw, who claimed the incident occurred late at night without any cars on the road, was in favor of Fincham. Fincham claimed he was attempting to activate his satellite radio. Mr. Haw acknowledged he was driving and acknowledged he had taken cocaine at least a day before, according to Kent Online. He was honest. He is an actor who is currently suffering from anxiety and depression after a difficult time during the pandemic in 2021 as a result of his work. He has now taken up boxing and it’s been a success. He is about to start a fight. He and his parents are providing for him.
Prior to his fight with martial artist Ahmed Mousa, Jack himself described how boxing had saved him in an interview with Cryto Fight Week’s Amber O’Donnell. He shared: “Going back to boxing, that is the only thing that ever helped me. Helps keep me grounded, living healthy.
People only want to see you as the best version of yourself when you’re in a boxing gym. That’s huge. Although there is obviously some competition and other things going on, the environment is good.
“Death on the cards”
Jack first made an honest confession to his addiction problems in a November 2023 interview with The Sun. He claimed to have been clean since leaving the Love Island villa in August, which is the longest stretch of time.
The TV personality described how his newfound fame had led him to develop a dangerous habit. Jack was also taking at least 30 diazepam pills every day to control his crippling anxiety, in addition to using Class A drugs like cocaine.
Revealing how his worried mum had tricked him into going to rehab, Jack explained:” The night before I went to rehab, I’d been out and taken a load of sleeping and anti-anxiety tablets. I didn’t know who I was or what I was doing. I didn’t even know I was going to rehab.
“I was being talked about by my mother and my agent because they both knew something was seriously wrong,” my agent said. My mother instructed me to pack a bag when I entered the kitchen. You can leave for a short while if you want, she said.
” This goes to show the state I was in because you’d think I would have questioned it, but I said, ‘ Oh, alright then’, without even knowing where I was going. I contacted my agent, and I continued to ask where he was taking me once we arrived. I had no idea what was happening until I was completely out of it.
“We drove to rehab and when we arrived he said ‘ this is where you’re going’, but he didn’t say the word ‘ rehab ‘ and so off I went. I got in there and then realised ‘ s***, I’m not coming out of here now’. I started kicking off, shouting ‘ I don’t need to be here, I’m not like that, I don’t have a problem'”.
However, after being admitted to The Haynes Clinic in Bedfordshire in November 2020, Jack realized he also had a serious problem and began a long recovery journey. Jack reflected: “Death was on the cards for me, it was imminent. I would be dead if I had continued to be who I was even six months ago. Without a shadow of a doubt”.
Second driving ban
Unfortunately, in March 2024, Jack was once again arrested for driving under the influence of drugs and given a 12-week sentence, suspended for 18 months. The TV personality, who was ordered to complete 250 hours of unpaid work, is now banned from driving until October 2029.
Jack admitted to using cocaine for five days a week during a police interview at the time. He also admitted to paying a friend £100 to install fake license plates on his car, which had been insured.
Dangerous dog
Following receiving a six-week jail term at Southend Magistrates’ Court, Jack was released on bail today while an appeal was pending. This came about after his dog, – a black cane corso dog called Elvis – bit a runner, named Robert Sudell, in September 2022 in Swanley, Kent. A man in his 40s reported an arm injury brought on by the dog, according to Essex Police.
According to the prosecutor, Mr. Sudell accepted an apology, Jack would be cautioned, and he would take a responsible dog ownership course. Conditions were also made, including that Elvis must be muzzled. However, Jack was later charged after a second incident at Grays in Essex in June of last year when his dog became in control.
Jack was ordered to pay £3, 680 in total, including a £2, 000 contribution to kennelling costs, a £961 fine and £200 compensation to Mr Sudell. Richard Cooper, defending, said that Jack “has no savings”. Ms Wade then said he could pay in instalments, initially set at £400 per month.
She mandated that the dog be kept on a lead, muzzled in public, and not left alone with anyone under the age of 16; As a woman in the public gallery allegedly her girlfriend Chloe Brockett gave a thumbs up as he was led to the Southend Magistrates’ Court cells, Jack was later seen sobbing.
Sergeant Alex Watkins said: “Owners have to take responsibility for their dogs, and on these occasions this dog was dangerously out of control.” The owner was given the opportunity to correct their behavior on both occasions by offering words of counsel and a conditional caution, which led to the sentence being handed down. I thank both victims for their courage during this investigation”.
Chloe and Jack were seen with hands in Essex when they headed for a nearby Tesco after Jack’s release. The newly released Jack leaning in to kiss Chloe as they passed by the two reality stars in good spirits.
Discussing Fincham’s release earlier today, a CPS source stated: “He was granted conditional bail pending that appeal”. Fincham had admitted guilt to two counts of being in charge of a dangerously out-of-control dog, with one of the incidents resulting in an injury, as Swanley in Kent was later identified by police as Grays in Essex.
*Frank offers confidential advice about drugs and addiction (email frank@talktofrank.com, message 82111 or call 0300 123 6600) or the NHS has information about getting help.
Do you have a story to share? Email me at julia. banim@reachplc.com. Follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads.
Source: Mirror
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