David Ball

A hipster whisky baron who lived a double life in London for 20 years has lost a bid to be freed from jail for a second time over fears he will flee the country to start another secret life. Lucasz Ratajewski, 47, left Poland 20 years ago after being handed a three-year jail term for possession of a handgun, and reinvented himself as Dariusz Plazewski, the high-flying boss of Bimber Distillery - one of the capital's first producers of English single malt whisky for over 100 years.   The Polish national began life in London working in property development and construction but launched his trendy whisky production business, aided by his partner Ewelina Chruszczyk, in 2016 and released Bimber's first London single malt in 2019.