A father who took his 13-year-old son on a drugs run along the M62 has been jailed for seven-and-a-half years. Darren McDonnell, 41, of Edgemoor Drive in Crosby, was stopped by police on the motorway near Prescot after officers discovered he was a disqualified driver.
Police find £100k drugs in M&S bag
A search of the white Ford Transit Connect van revealed an M&S bag containing more than £100,000 worth of illegal substances. The haul included over 6,000 MDMA tablets, 2,000 2CB pills, and significant quantities of MCAT and prescription tapentadol. The combined street value was estimated between £70,000 and £140,000.
Officers were concerned to find McDonnell's 13-year-old son in the passenger seat during the illicit delivery. The court heard the boy, who has ADHD, had insisted on accompanying his father that day.
McDonnell claimed he was pressured by drug dealers
McDonnell told the court he had been pressured into acting as a courier to pay off a £900 cannabis debt. He said he was unemployed and felt coerced by two individuals. Although he had 11 previous convictions, this was his first drugs supply offense. He had received a suspended prison sentence in July 2024 for dangerous driving.
Defense solicitors argued McDonnell was a devoted father and carer for his partner, who is battling cervical cancer. They said his actions were an anomaly and that he was deeply remorseful.
Judge highlights aggravating factor of vulnerable teenager
Judge Stuart Driver KC said the presence of the vulnerable teenager in the vehicle was an aggravating factor that increased the severity of the sentence. He noted McDonnell had been a trusted courier fully aware of the operation's scale.
McDonnell was sentenced to seven-and-a-half years in prison after admitting possession with intent to supply and driving offenses. He appeared at Liverpool Crown Court via video link to hear his custodial sentence confirmed.
