A former Norwich City player was sentenced to 28 months in prison.
Jamar Loza, a former Premier League football player, was found guilty of operating a laughing gas business “on a commercial scale” and received a lengthy prison sentence. His employers, Kettering Town, have now issued a statement regarding the striker’s contract being terminated immediately.
Earlier this week, Loza, a four-cap Jamaican international, entered a guilty plea to two charges originating from 2022 and was sentenced to 28 months in prison at Norwich Crown Court. The court heard how he was using a pallet to administer the hallucinogenic drug, nitrous oxide. The center-forward, whose name many people are unfamiliar with, started his career at Norwich City and progressed through the academy system from 2012 to 2014 before making his first team debut under Neil Adams’ tutelage. In his playing career, he has also played for teams like Woking, Maidstone United, and Billericay Town.
The Kingston-born attacker, who made just one appearance in the English Premier League in May 2014, losing 2-0 to Arsenal, was arrested twice in one week back in 2022. On August 17 of that year, the police made their first stop and discovered several nitrous oxide canisters in his Mercedes. When Loza, 31, of Lapwing Drive, Cotessey, was stopped at Longwater Retail Park, the police only waited eight days to penalise him again after he had previously been arrested, questioned, and released. He was found guilty on two charges of possessing a psychoactive substance with intent to supply and providing a psychoactive substance at Norwich Crown Court on Wednesday.
Recorder Ruth Brander claimed that he had been “sourcing and supplying” nitrous gas by the pallet, with each pallet costing approximately £10,000. “It’s clear you were directing, buying and selling on a commercial scale,” she continued. He had recruited two delivery drivers to assist his firm work more smoothly because he was transporting the drug between London and Norfolk, which is a 260-mile round journey. Loza allegedly boasted to fellow vendors that he was “making so much money [he] didn’t know what to do with it.”
Lydia Punchard, a co-defendant who was found guilty of one count of furnishing nitrous gas and who was visibly pregnant when she appeared in court, received a six-month sentence for her involvement. She was also mandated to complete 10 days of Rehabilitation Activity Requirement (RAR) because she was due to give birth next month. Loza’s old Norwich colleague Darren Eadie described him as a “really good role model” when asked to name a character reference. The journeyman striker joined Kettering Town, a Southern League Premier Central team, in March of this year after dropping in the ranks at prior clubs. They wrote in a statement:
“During his time with us, Jamar made a positive contribution on the pitch, and we are grateful for his performance in the club’s colours,” said the statement. “As a team, we are dedicated to maintaining the highest standards of behaviour and honesty, even though we are not pleased with this result from a football standpoint. We appreciate our supporters’ ongoing professionalism and patience during this time, and we wish Jamal and his family the best of luck in resolving the issues that lie ahead.”
Loza had scored two league goals for The Poppies before the season began, but he made his final appearance for the team last Saturday, substituting in a 2-0 loss at Alvechurch as the home team scored two goals in stoppage time. His departure follows the club’s decision to let go of Nile Ranger, a gifted striker who was once owned by Newcastle United.
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