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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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UK: Jail Term for Drugs Grannie Graham Broach Plymouth Herald Friday 28 Mar 2008 Date: March 28 2008 Author: Graham Broach --- A grandmother from Saltash has been jailed for six months after admitting acting as a courier for £28,000-worth of Class C drugs. Christine Shaftoe, aged 53, had pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to possession of 5kg of cannabis resin with intent to supply, possession of a further 5kg and possession of around 20g of herbal cannabis. Recorder Kevin De Haan QC told Shaftoe: "You became a cog in a chain of commercial distribution, allowing a considerable quantity of cannabis to find its way onto the streets." Prosecutor David Gittins told Plymouth Crown Court yesterday that Shaftoe, of Babis Farm Close, Saltash, had been stopped in her Vauxhall Vectra by a police patrol at about 8.30pm on December 10 last year. She seemed nervous and told officers a bag on the front passenger seat contained books. But they noticed a strong smell of cannabis and searched the car, finding 20 'nine bars' of cannabis weighing 4,975 grammes - nearly 5kg - with a street value of £14,263. When her home was searched, police found an identical package in a cupboard, as well as nearly 93g of 'skunk', cannabis resin and herbal cannabis worth £327 in tins in a bedroom and bathroom. Shaftoe told police she had been called to Torpoint to collect the drugs, which she had divided in two, taking half to Mutley. She had been intending to take the other half to Truro the next day. Mr Gittins said Shaftoe accepted she had acted as a commercial courier, being paid £250 for her trouble, and had done it "two or three times" before. But she thought another package in the carrier bag contained money, not a large quantity of amphetamine discovered. She didn't regard herself as supplying drugs, as they did not belong to her. Piers Norsworthy, defending, described Shaftoe as naive, gullible and remorseful. He said she was down on her luck, money was tight and with Christmas coming up she took the opportunity to earn a small amount of money. She had been loaned £400, but it was clear the lender would later call on her services. Mr Norsworthy said Shaftoe had parted from her husband in 1991 and now lived with her 15 year-old grandson, whom she cared for. She suffered from angina and high blood pressure, and had been unemployed for eight years, he said. Recorder Kevin De Haan QC said that although the case involved a large quantity of cannabis worth around £28,000, it was clear Shaftoe had made only a few hundred pounds. He jailed her for six months. http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/
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