Love Island winner Jack Fincham’s estÂranged dad has been exposed as a convicted drug dealer.
The 26-year-old is no longer in contact with his father, Mark Gard, who was previously jailed for running a cocaine empire.
A pal told The UK Sun on Sunday: “People who know Mark know he’s a bit of a wrong ’un, but for Jack the whole thing has been hugely upsetting.”
“He told his family he wanted nothing to do with his father. The four-year prison sentence, when Jack was still in his teens, was very much the last straw. He says that winning Love Island doesn’t erase the hurt.”
Jack’s mum Samantha had split from Mark in the early 2000s, before his criminal activity came to light.
Mark Gard was allegedly caught sub-letting a council home in Greenwich, South East London, in 2009 – despite owning property in Spain.
The discovery caused fraud investigators to tip off the police, who then launched an undercover surveillance operation.
Detectives found out that Mark had used a legitimate parcel-delivery franchise as a front to distribute Class A drugs across the country.
A warrant to search his home led to the discovery of £100,000 stashed in a suitcase, as well as electronic scales and resealable plastic bags. Police also found 4lbs of cocaine and 0.5lb of cannabis resin in a courier van parked outside.
Jack’s father pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply drugs, and benefit fraud, at Woolwich crown court in December 2009.
Mark paid a fine of £274,000 to avoid a longer jail sentence, and it’s believed he left prison in 2012 or 2013.
Jack, who worked as pen salesman before Love Island, hid his troubled past as he and girlfriend Dani Dyer were crowned the winners of Love Island 2018.
Since their win, Jack has been bonding with Dani’s EastEnders star father Danny Dyer.
A pal told The Sun on Sunday, “Jack may have had some contact with his dad but he’s kept it private.”
“Although Jack has a strong family unit around him, he’s really missed that relationship with his own flesh and blood, and that’s why the relationship with Danny Dyer is so important to him.”
“Of course Gard knows all about his son being on Love Island — mainly because he has younger kids from a subsequent relationship who are all fans of the show,” they added.
