A DRUGS courier jailed after a £719,000 criminal cargo was found in his vehicle near Carlisle has had a driving ban added to his sentence.
John Read, 51, was handed a three-year prison term at the city’s crown court last month.
A judge heard how Read’s uninsured Vauxhall was pulled over by police on the M6. Stashed in the boot was 24kg of cannabis resin, with a street value of £119,000, and a colossal 60kg of amphetamine – potentially worth around £600,000.
Read admitted possessing both class B drugs with intent to supply, and revealed he had acted as a criminal courier on that day only after his life spiralled out of control.
Read also admitted having no insurance for the vehicle and received penalty points. However, he was brought back to the crown court today (THURS) after it emerged he should have been banned under the totting-up process because six points were already on his licence.
The court heard Read, of Bellmore Street, Garston, Liverpool, hadn’t been aware of these earlier accrued points at the time of his sentencing – nor had lawyers at the drugs sentencing hearing.
“He accepts he will be disqualified, and will serve that disqualification when he is released from custody,” Kim Whittlestone, defending, told today’s hearing.
Noting Read had now clocked up 14 penalty points, Judge Peter Davies imposed a six-month ban which will begin when he is released from prison on licence.
