A lorry driver has been sentenced after he was caught with 17kg of cannabis hidden in his suitcase as he returned from holiday in Thailand. Barry Hunt was stopped by an immigration officer at Newcastle Airport and asked questions about his hold bag.
The 59-year-old said he had packed the suitcase himself, was aware of the contents and was not carrying it for someone else. But when the bag was searched, officers found 17kg of cannabis hidden inside, Newcastle Crown Court heard.
Conflicting accounts
Hunt then told a number of different stories about how he ended up with the drugs but ultimately maintained he was given the bag by unknown people in Thailand. Hunt, of Skellow Road, Carcroft, in Doncaster, was arrested and pleaded guilty to one count of importing controlled drugs, reports Chronicle Live.
Freddie Adams, prosecuting at Newcastle Crown Court, said Hunt was spotted walking through Customs at Newcastle Airport at around 10pm on June 11 this year. He had flown from Thailand via Paris and was carrying one suitcase, which had been in the hold.
Court hearing
Mr Adams said: "He was asked about the bag and he said he was fully aware of the contents. He said he was not carrying it for anyone else and had packed the bag himself. The bag was searched and 17kg of cannabis was found inside." The court heard that Hunt was arrested and later interviewed by the National Crime Agency and his story of what had happened changed a number of times.
Lorraine Mustard, defending, said Hunt, who has no past convictions, pleaded guilty on the basis he was given it by an unknown male in Thailand. Ms Mustard added: "He went on holiday. He hadn't been on holiday for sometime and he was given the opportunity to use this villa and it appears there were other rooms in the villa used by various people. Those people only made themselves known to the defendant shortly before his departure. They removed his suitcase and provided him with another one."
Sentence
Giving him a 12-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, with 300 hours of unpaid work, Judge Stephen Earl said: "You're a very foolish man for a number of reasons that I can think of but, perhaps, you have already been there before me. A long distance lorry driver is usually not a stupid man."
