Paul Daniels' son sells cannabis from magic shop
THE son of magician Paul Daniels doesn't miss a trick-he's cashing in by flogging cannabis from his conjurers' shop.
Paul Daniels Jnr, 48, has gone from dealing cards to dealing drugs at the store that trades on his dad's name.
A concerned neighbour told us about the illicit sales at the Paul Daniels Magic Party Shop in Wigan, Greater Manchester-so we conjured up a visit.
And hey presto . . . Paul Jnr sold our undercover reporter a bag of "very strong" pot for £20, before inviting her to smoke a joint with him in the shop's back room.
Our source told us: "Paul is a big dopehead and loves to boast about how he really makes a living from selling drugs.
"As well as £20 bags of weed, he also sells large quantities of resin.
"He offers it to customers, and we don't want a drug dealer living around here. I am sure his father would be horrified."
Millionaire Paul Sr was one of TV's biggest names in the 80s and 90s thanks to his prime time magic shows and the catchphrase: "You'll like this . . . not a lot, but you'll like it".
When we visited Paul Jnr's fancy dress and magic tricks shop on a weekday afternoon, business was slow.
Daniels, looking unkempt in a scruffy shirt and leather jacket, admitted he had sold just one £10 novelty wig all day.
Our investigator, posing as a customer, told him she was organising a friend's hen do-and her pal had asked her to find some cannabis for the bash too.
Daniels instantly said: "I can help you with that," and produced a bag of cannabis from his jacket pocket.
He added: "We're not just a fancy dress shop you know."
She asked how much it was and he replied: "Twenty quid. It's really good stuff."
Our girl then asked what it was, and he said: "It's very strong cannabis."
After the deal had been done in the middle of the store, our girl said she needed to go to the bank to get some cash for the hen do goods.
As she left, Daniels said: "When you come back you can try some of that (the cannabis) out the back."
His 71-year-old dad Paul Snr, now wed to assistant Debbie McGee, has three sons from his first marriage. They are Paul, Martin, 45, and Gary, 40-who has a crown court trial later this year over an alleged £10,000 fraud against the NHS.
There is no suggestion the magic star knows about his eldest son's drug dealing-and the pair previously have had a rocky relationship.
Jail
They fell out ten years ago when Paul Jr stayed at his dad's mansion after a spell in jail for obtaining property by deception. He also has convictions for growing cannabis, drink-driving and selling porn.
But father and son rekindled their relationship, and the TV star stood by his son in 2006, saying: "We talk on the phone every day. He is fine now."
In 2001 Paul Jnr was given a 12-month community rehabilitation order after admitting growing 89 cannabis plants worth £90,000 in the cellar and bedroom of his Hartlepool home.
He said he used the drug to ease a respiratory problem, and was ordered to pay £60 in costs.
Paul also claimed doctors had told him his poor health could be the onset of angina, and that he refused to turn to his multi-millionaire father for help.
He added: "I smoke it for my medical condition. But I was forced to grow the plants for others."
But his drug problems led to dealers threatening to kill Paul Snr.
Firstly a gang first plotted to blackmail the star over his son's cannabis habit. Then they vowed to bump off the TV ace when Paul Jnr refused to join a cocaine-smuggling racket.
In 2003 he went on the run from dealers who put out a contract on his life, blaming him for a cocaine deal that went wrong.
Bet he's wishing he could just magic all his problems away . . .
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This article has 17 comments
But who did he sell the novelty wig to?
By Dostaf Wigan. Posted June 22 2009 at 2:12 AM.
Guess he should change his name to Puff the Magic Dragon now then.
By Lorna Wanstall. Posted June 21 2009 at 9:35 PM.
You think this is bad! My mate went into Paul Daniels' Magic Shop and came out bald .......
By Roger Edwards. Posted June 21 2009 at 8:52 PM.
So what if he sold some marijuana to someone over 18 asking for it? It should be legal anyway. This world is crazy. Why oh why the state thinks it should restrict what people they do with their lungs I don't know. You only have one life, do what you want with it!
By Jim. Posted June 21 2009 at 8:28 PM.
My mate, Manky Dave, bought some stuff off of Paul Daniels Jr. He told my mate "It's Magic stuff. You'll like it... not alot!".
By James Galvin. Posted June 21 2009 at 12:51 PM.
Still, he kept all his hair.
By dotty. Posted June 21 2009 at 1:39 PM.
Love the comments, all you wags !
By Madmax. Posted June 21 2009 at 1:20 PM.
His criminal record is nearly as long as mine LOL
By Cockney Dave. Posted June 21 2009 at 1:17 PM.
The years haven't been kind to Paul Jnr have they?
By James Harcourt. Posted June 21 2009 at 11:41 AM.
Loser
By Vee. Posted June 21 2009 at 10:38 AM.
Presto! The shock to me was that Wigan had parties
.
By mrs_spratt. Posted June 21 2009 at 10:33 AM.
Paul Daniels-and-the-lovely-Debbie-McGee is his full name.
By Trevor Nelson. Posted June 21 2009 at 9:42 AM.
that's tragic lol
By john. Posted June 21 2009 at 9:33 AM.
The reporter was the only person shopping. I have never seen anybody using this shop.
By Pie Lover in Wigan. Posted June 21 2009 at 9:19 AM.
So so sad, had it all on a plate and let it slip away !
By Stew. Posted June 21 2009 at 7:40 AM.
Now that's tragic.
By Lorraine Jeese. Posted June 21 2009 at 1:44 AM.
Now that's magic
By John. Posted June 21 2009 at 12:35 AM.