Brixton Splash co-founder, Reggae producer and music store owner Blacker Dread has been jailed alongside five other people (including a former credit controller) for stealing £700,000 from Sutton based company ICMD Ltd.
Blacker Dread, whose real name is Steve Burnett-Martin was jailed for two and a half years for receiving £230,411 in fraudulent payments as part of the £700,000 scam.
Blacker Dread the legendary music store in Brixton’s Coldharbour Lane is one of the UK’s key distribution outlets for reggae music on vinyl, tapes and CD’s.
A FORMER credit controller has been jailed for her key part in stealing more than £700,000 from her employer.
Lorna Martin, of Selhurst Road, South Norwood, has been jailed alongside the five people into whose bank accounts the money was paid.
The 32-year-old used her job at marketing company IMCD Ltd in Sutton to create fake invoices to pay the money from the company into her and others’ bank accounts.
From September 2011 to August 2012, £30,548 was paid into two Santander bank accounts in Martin’s name, and £94,449 to her partner at the time, Leon Binns, 31, of Southbridge Place, Croydon.
A further £230,411 was paid to record store Blacker Dread, based in Brixton and run by Steve Burnett-Martin, 55, of Gipsy Hill.
According to The Brixton Blog, Blacker Dread’s now closed music store has a sign up that reads “Oooooops”.
This news has shocked me. Blacker Dread has been seen as a well respected figure in the community for decades – especially in Brixton.
Now this happens. A reputation ruined and a two and a half year stint in prison.
Was it really worth it in the end?
In response to the news a supporter tweeted:
Categories: UK News
MAD NEWS UK 
Lets hope he can get someone to run his business while he’s in jail
So shocked and saddened by this Janice. Boy, oh boy! No wonder people have so much mistrust for each other. And Brixton Splash was so popular as well. What were they thinking! Michelle
Money IS a root of all evil!!
Well done Blacker Dread just taking all whats rightfully yours…its ok for the government to rape Africa of all our jewels and royalty, and for our ancestors to bend over backwards for these people they call humans, but when we get back whats ours its called Money Laundering, Oh please don’t make me laugh..Blacker and all he’s accomplice should of walk away scott free..
Yes Nancy when all else fails and you want to pass the buck use slavery/colonialism as an excuse. Well done you! 👍
What date is Brixton Splash taking place?
Wow cindy notes got a lot to say huh….
Romans 11:1 I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin
BANYAMAN = בנימן = BENJAMIN = WEST INDIES/ JAMAICA TO BELIZE
It’s a shame that they don’t put as much time into the theft and corruption that happens within the government and police force. Teef nah like fi see teef carry long bag and whatever part Blacker played in this or NOT it is the lesser evil compared to the wrongdoings within Government. God Is Not Sleeping.
Okay Jennifer.
Big up Blacka Dread Real legend in the black community, soon come home boss, we have to do what we have to do in this triple resession credit crunch!!!
#JesusWept
No comment if u don’t have anything good to say, say nothing!!
No Marcia this forum is open for everyone to comment. If you don’t like it then go elsewhere.
Oh Janice, do grow up! We have heard your views on the matter. Allow others to submit their own, without you lingering around scrutinising any that dear to differ from that of your own. Ever heard of freedom of speech! Blacker Dread has done so much in the community, its little wonder so many choose to support him.
So he may have let some of us down, are we really supposed to all be perfect. I am not, I very much doubt you are too!
Charmine I have allowed others to voice their opinion. I’ve allowed you to LOL. and I will continue to voice my opinion if and when the mood takes me.
Oh and I will also continue to linger/lurk around on my own blog too LOL
Yes I know how much Blacker has done for the community. Good for him.
“oh and I will continue to linger around on my own blog too”
I expected a more intelligent and less petty response. After all I thought I was talking to an adult. Also, you may consider stepping up your punctuation and grammar. Just a suggestion!
Hahahahaha you had high expectations then. Sorry to disappoint.
“Also, you may consider stepping up your punctuation and grammar. Just a suggestion!”
Is that you Mrs Scrivens? LMAO
but in all seriousness people have a right to come on here and defend Blacker to the death just like others have a right to express their disappointment at this mess.
I await Posh Lee’s comments with interest.
Blacker Dread is a local legend and much respected member of the community. But how is stealing from some marketing company the same as taking reparations from the government? To be honest I would understand more if it was a tax evasion type of “offence”, but still. I just hope that when he is released there isn’t a Costa Coffee where his record store should be.
Same old story. Black person does something wrong, gets caught, all the other black people blame slavery.
Charmaine get a life
@Pheva – My thoughts exactly.
@The Truth
Only those misguided and living in warped denial run with the slavery excuse.
This outcome shows that certain ‘little runnings’ can’t really go on again what with all the technology & surveillance that’s being employed by governments. I always thought one could plead innocence when money was deposited in an account without ‘prior knowledge’ but by these convictions it appears not. It’s a shame they got convicted, my sympathies goes out to them & their families. Couldn’t they have used fake accounts & gone on from there?
So let me get this straight you are condoning what they did?
@Janice – Kindly, I don’t really care if you get it straight or get it twisted, to me it’s a shame that another six black people are locked up and one of them that we know of, has been involved in community events. Fraud or ‘money laundering’ are regarded as victimless crimes for obvious reasons (rightly or wrongly) – the point being nobody was physically harmed – and I tend to have sympathy for my fellow people whenever they are dealt with by the judicial system.- It’s not exactly skewered in our favour is it? They haven’t bankrupted the country have they? The people who tried to do that got bonuses ffs!
“I don’t really care if you get it straight or get it twisted”
Clearly! Loving the passive aggression. Moving on…. 😁
Sorry to bring race/class into it but this Fraud/scamming thing only ends in tears for most people, Only middle class whites, Middle class Asians and Jews have a better chance of getting away with it, this game isn’t for us. Suspicion is always on us even when we keep our noses clean let alone when we don’t.
Spot on Cameron. When will we learn?
Hi Janice is “OK Jennifer” meant in a patronising way. I think it is a fair and true statement. Just look at yesterdays new with Rebecca Brooks. I am not condoning what Blacker may or may not have done but you cannot deny that it’s one rule for us and another for them (not a black and white thing) a powers that be and us thing.
This is true. Just like commentator @Cameron said
“Only middle class whites, Middle class Asians and Jews have a better chance of getting away with it, this game isn’t for us. Suspicion is always on us even when we keep our noses clean let alone when we don’t.”
Whatever the circumstances there are lessons to be learnt
this is a warning to any black person/s who are stealing from their employers…. stop its just a matter of time till they catch up and deal with you….. And you will be treat you differently because you are black
he should get 15 years he is too greedy
According to The Brixton Blog, Blacker Dread’s now closed music store has a sign up that reads “Oooooops”
two and a half years. should be out in eleven months with good behaviour. Keep your head up and learn from a mistake. Move on.
My people, my people. The fact that there are many of you on here condoning the dumb actions of Blacker Dread and co, who now all have tarnished reputations and criminal records is just embarrassing. Other races who might be reading these comments must be laughing their heads off at the list of excuses being made for a bunch of thieves who committed an act motivated solely by greed.
Are we supposed to turn a blind eye because those involved were black? Not me!
@Leo (@ArealJah) I see from your Twitter page that you portray yourself as a concious pro black individual, fighting the power.but really you come across as a fraud. Any black man who actively encourages this type of negative behaviour within our community is an idiot and a disgrace. I suggest you rethink your vocation in life.
@Minx
CO-SIGN!
We as a people have come through so much and still we bicker, put down , moan and complain about things that don’t effect us directly. Society has decided his punishment and he is serving it. Subject about money laundering and how that may effect you is where you should be concentrating your thoughts and how that should be dealt with. Blessed Love we all have to try and live
dutty rasta bwoy a wan lang time teifing kriminal! dem fi lock im weh an dash weh di key fi di dutty dred lang time
bwoy neva descent citizen wen im a shub im ’45 inna man mout a dancehall clash! a nuff bwoy di dutty dred im injurred!