A 73-YEAR-OLD man with a “varied criminal history” who tried to smuggle amphetamines worth up to £65,000 into Jersey has been jailed for two years.
Paul Brian Cassidy arrived in the Island on 12 October off the ferry from Poole with a package containing the Class A drug hidden in his grey Vauxhall Astra – he also had a smaller quantity of the drug in his wallet.
The drugs had a street value of between £50,000 and £65,000.
Cassidy, from Brentwood in Essex, claimed his name was “Edward Henry Bushell” when stopped by Jersey Customs and Immigration officers, and he carried a driving licence, bank card and ferry ticket all bearing the false name.
Crown Advocate Lauren Taylor, prosecuting, told the Royal Court the officer searching his car found the package, wrapped in green tape, stored between the fuel tank and the chassis. Cassidy at first denied all knowledge of the package, which contained 810 grams of amphetamine, telling them: “I have no idea who put that package there but it wasn’t me.”
He said the further 8.6g in his wallet were for personal use. He admitted illegally importing drugs when he appeared in the Magistrate’s Court two days later and the case was sent to the higher court for sentencing.
Advocate Taylor said of Cassidy: “He has no relevant previous convictions, but he has a varied criminal history.”
He was deemed at moderate risk of reconviction within the next 12 months, with the Crown Advocate explaining: “The defendant would still be tempted to engage in risky and illegal activity.”
She recommended a jail sentence of two years and six months.
Advocate Stephen Wauchope, defending, accepted that Cassidy had previous convictions for offences such as assault and fraud, but pointed out that the most recent dated back to 1994, saying: “There is a very long gap in his offending.”
He added: “He has never been involved in the supply of drugs in any way, shape or form prior to this offence.”
The advocate urged Jurats to take into account Cassidy’s age, early guilty plea and “great remorse” and consider a community service order. But they agreed to the prosecution’s request for a prison sentence. Deputy Bailiff Robert MacRae told Cassidy: “You are not a man of previous good character, but you do not have any relevant previous convictions.”
Jurats Ronge and Hughes were sitting.
