Jamar Loza jailed after nitrous oxide bust

Ace in laughing gas raid

By Neil Harvey

A popular Non-League footballer caught buying and selling laughing gas on a ‘commercial scale’ has been jailed.

Jamar Loza, 31, was found with a number of cannisters of nitrous oxide, as well as some ‘balloons’, when he was pulled over by police in his Mercedes in Dereham Road, Norwich, on August 17, 2022.

He was arrested, interviewed and released before he was stopped again by police at Longwater Retail Park, Costessey, Norfolk, eight days later.

Loza – who joined Kettering Town from Leiston in March following a sustained career in the EFL and Non-League – appeared at Norwich Crown Court on Wednesday for sentencing after admitting two counts of possession of a psychoactive substance with intent to supply, as well as supplying a psychoactive substance.

Sentenced

Jailing him for 28 months, Recorder Ruth Brander said he had been “sourcing and supplying” nitrous oxide by the pallet – costing £10,000 each – between London and Norfolk and had employed two drivers to help him do deliveries.

She said that in messages to others, Loza had boasted his ‘balloons’ business was “making so much money I don’t know what to do with it”.

“It’s clear you were directing, buying and selling on a commercial scale,” she told him in court.

Loza began his career at Norwich City and made three first-team appearances for the Canaries, amongst various EFL loan spells, before joining Maidstone United in 2016.

Since a three-year spell with the Stones, Loza has regularly been on the move, turning out for likes of Billericay, Chelmsford City, King’s Lynn, Woking (three times), Barnet, Dartford, Cheshunt and Leiston before joining the Poppies.

He also has four international caps for Jamaica.

JAILED: Jamar Loza playing for Kettering earlier this season
PICTURE: Peter Short

Character

Barrister John Hurlock said Loza had been of “positive” good character and was now making “positive steps”.

And at an earlier hearing, a character reference from former Norwich City player Darren Eadie described Loza as a “really good role model” who had helped teach young players “how to conduct themselves on and off the pitch”, when the pair worked together at Leiston.

Co-defendant Lydia Punchard, 25, was found guilty of one count of supplying nitrous oxide, although Recorder Brander said she had played a “limited” role and had been somewhat “naïve” in getting involved.

Punchard, due to give birth next month, received a six-month prison sentence suspended for a year and ordered to carry out 10 days of Rehabilitation Activity Requirement (RAR).