Ex-EastEnders star Leanne Lakey accused of smuggling £150k of cocaine walks free from court after being cleared
The 39-year-old had been accused of trying to sneak three kilos of cocaine past security at Gatwick Airport
AN ex-Eastenders star accused of smuggling cocaine into Britain has walked free from court after being cleared.
Leanne Lakey, 39, was arrested at Gatwick Airport when three kilos of cocaine - with a street value of around £150,000 - was found hidden in the bottom of a suitcase.
But after her co-accused Dean Shanahan pleaded guilty to one count of importing cocaine, no evidence was offered against her.
Lakey played Belinda Slater in the BBC soap between 2001 and 2003.
It had been alleged the pair were working together in a joint enterprise to get the Class A drug into the country.
Shanahan originally pleaded not guilty along with Lakey but changed his plea when they returned to court last month.
He was jailed for five years at Croydon Crown Court.
Lakey, of Parklands Drive, Chelmsford Essex, had been forced to wear an electronic tag and obey a curfew between 10pm and 7pm as part of her bail conditions.
The star has also previously appeared in Channel 5 soap Family Affairs, The Bill, Holby City and Casualty.
She trained as an actress at Chiswick's arts Educational School.
Her character was written out of the show in 2003 when she left to go travelling in Europe.
The character returned to EasEnders last year, but was she was dropped in favour of another actress, Carli Norris.
The 39-year-old now works as a waitress.
