Robert Murphy and Claire Turnbull were caught transporting 19 kilos of cocaine worth up to £1.9m, with the drugs disguised in Christmas wrapping paper inside bags for life. The pair were stopped by police on the A19 near Sunderland on 18 December 2024.
Disguised drugs
On the morning of 18 December 2024, around 9.45am, Murphy and Turnbull were in text contact arranging to meet. Murphy placed two red bags for life containing 19 kilo blocks of cocaine, covered with Christmas wrapping paper, into his Mercedes. He drove a short distance to meet Turnbull at Sheriffs Highway, Gateshead, where CCTV showed her arriving in a Vauxhall Astra. She parked so the boot of her car faced Murphy's, and he gestured for her to reverse closer. Murphy transferred the drugs into Turnbull's car and got into the passenger seat. They then entered a postcode for their destination and drove onto the A19, followed by a marked police car.
Court details
Officers stopped the car near Sunderland and found the packages: 10 kilos in one bag, 9 in the other. The cocaine had a purity of 87% to 92%. If sold wholesale, it would be worth up to £570,000, but at street level in one-gram deals it could have generated £1.9m. At Newcastle Crown Court, both admitted possessing cocaine with intent to supply. Turnbull, 41, of Kendal Crescent, Gateshead, with 21 previous convictions, was jailed for 61 months. Murphy, 44, of Pottersway, Gateshead, with 22 previous convictions, received 56 months.
Background and remorse
Turnbull pleaded guilty on the basis she agreed to drive Murphy to drop off the drugs but was not told the quantity. She said she believed her then-partner was having an affair and hoped to gain information from Murphy during the drive. She was using cocaine at the time but denied seeking financial or other gain. The court heard she is now married, two of her children live with her, and she hopes to run a health and beauty business from home. She has mental health issues, and character references described her as a 'very good mother who has been subjected to a great deal in her life' and a 'loving and caring person'. Murphy pleaded guilty on the basis he ended up with a £500 debt due to his cocaine habit and was threatened by an organised crime group. He claimed he did not know how much cocaine he was transporting. He was said to have recognised the harm drugs cause and expressed 'genuine remorse'. He has employment available renovating properties and fitting solar panels. He began using cocaine after struggling with his mother's death, and his father died while he was remanded in custody. References spoke of him as a 'fantastic dad and grandad' and a supportive family man.
