Police today launched a manhunt for a former star footballer turned drug dealer .
Leon Jeanne, 44, who played for Cardiff City and Queens Park Rangers having started out at Arsenal, aged 10, has been recalled to prison by South Wales Police but has not yet been found.
He was last seen in public two years ago, wearing handcuffs and flanked by prison guards, at the funeral of his 24-year-old son.
Police have not said why he must return to jail, but tweeted his picture and name with the message: ‘Recalled to Prison. Give reference 2500002271’.
Jeanne was considered Wales’ most promising young footballer 25 years ago and was tipped to go to the very top of the game like contemporaries such as Craig Bellamy.
Former teammate Jay Bothroyd said last year: ‘He was at Arsenal with me and was the most talented player I’d ever seen at that age. He was unbelievable. But he went off the rails’.
Jeanne never hit the heights expected and in 2015 he was jailed for 30 months for his part in a plot to supply cocaine. In 2017 the bad boy former footballer was back in court having become embroiled in a bust-up involving a hammer and a brick after one of his sons chased another man in a car.
In 2019 he was convicted of dangerous driving in after being chased by police at 100mph, claiming he was trying to get away from someone else who he was in a ‘feud with’.
Ex-QPR and Cardiff City player Leon Jeanne, 44, was convicted of dangerous driving in 2019 after being chased by police at 100mph on the same road his son died on
Jeanne wore a blue Nike tracksuit and cuffs as he attended his son’s funeral at St Peter’s Church in Cardiff in 2023
But after his release he was sent back to prison for breaching a curfew.
Two years ago, he was allowed out on day release from prison to attend the funeral of his son Rafel, who was among three people to die in a horror car crash in Cardiff.
Jeanne wore a blue Nike tracksuit and was handcuffed to a probation officer as he made his way inside the church.
Rafel died in March 2023 with Darcy Ross and Eve Smith, both 21, while bank worker Sophie Russon, 20, and Shane Loughlin, 32, survived.
Leon Jeanne’s most recent brush with the law came in 2019 in a driving case chillingly close to where his son’s crash took place near to the Cardiff Garden Centre in the St Mellons area of the city.
He was later released but then recalled to prison for flouting a curfew.
Jeanne – who was once dubbed Wales’ most promising footballer when he played for Wales under-21s – tried to force his way between two lines of traffic at a red light before jumping out of his car.
Prosecutor Laurence Jones said it started when Jeanne in a Volkswagen Golf undertook an unmarked police car on the busy road – accelerating rapidly and changing lanes.
Mr Jones said: ‘The officer watched in disbelief.’
Jeanne was driving so fast that police could not make out his number plate on busy Western Avenue in Cardiff.
The officer described his driving as ‘aggressive’ and estimated he was exceeding 100mph with other cars pulling over to get out of his way.
Jeanne became aware he was being followed by the police – and swerved across chevrons on to the slip road at the last minute to ‘shake them off’.
Cardiff Crown Court heard Jeanne tried to force his way between two vehicles, causing £2,500 worth of damage to a Renault Clio he shunted from behind.
He was caught on camera from a bin lorry lifting the Clio as he tried to push through the gap then jumping out of his car and trying to run away.
Rafel (pictured) died in a car crash in Cardiff along with Darcy Ross and Eve Smith, both 21. Their car left the road and crashed near the St Mellons area of Cardiff in the early hours of Saturday, March 4, 2023. But it was only spotted 46 hours later with two people still alive, trapped inside
The court heard Jeanne thought he was being chased by someone he was in a ‘feud’ with and drove off as he feared for his safety.
Prosecutors said he had previous convictions including taking a vehicle without the owner’s consent, driving while disqualified, and driving without insurance.
Jeanne, of Llanrumney, Cardiff, admitted dangerous driving.
Owen Williams, defending, said he was due to start a painting and decorating course – and asked the judge to hold back from immediate custody.
Jeanne was given an eight-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, and ordered to comply with a 12-week curfew. He was disqualified from driving for two years.
In 2017 the bad boy former footballer became embroiled in a hammer bust-up after his son chased another man in a car, a court heard.
Leon Jeanne arrived in his black Mercedes after his son was involved in a ‘dispute’. A court heard police recovered a hammer, piece of wood and bricks from the scene of the ruckus in Llanrumney, Cardiff.
The former footballer, of St Mellons Cardiff, insisted he was a ‘peacemaker’ but admitted using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour.
He was handed a 12 month community order and told to complete 180 hours of unpaid work.
Tremaine Jeanne and Simm, also both of St Mellons, admitted affray. Jeanne was jailed for eight months and Simm was jailed for six months.
In 2015 he was jailed after admitting drug offences.
Leon Jeanne, who played for the Bluebirds in the 2001/02 season, was sentenced to 30 months in prison.
