Jail sentences for cannabis couriers

two drug couriers were jailed for a total of nine years after being caught with cannabis and amphetamine worth almost £475,000 on the streets

John Gorrian (49) of Auldhill Avenue, Bridgend, and Steven Gibb (20) c/o an address at Tiree Place, Falkirk, admitted being concerned in the supply of drugs on May 4 last year.

The two men had brought 100 kilos of cannabis resin and 10 kilos of the other Class B drug from England in a hire car and were detained at the Harthill Services on the M8 Glasgow to Edinburgh road.

Car driver Gorrian was jailed for five years for his role in the operation and Gibb was sentenced to four years detention.

At the High Court in Edinburgh, Lord Kinclaven said: "There is no alternative to a significant custodial sentence.

‘‘Significant quantities of drugs with a considerable potential value were involved."

The court heard that Gorrian had hired a car in Bathgate and was followed by police to Coventry.

The car was seen to go to a car park near the Rico stadium in Coventry where Gorrian took possession of a box from the occupants of another car. It turned out to be the amphetamine.

Gorrian's car then followed the other vehicle to a lane and the pair were given a further four boxes containing the cannabis.

They then drove back to Scotland where police seized the haul of 400 cannabis bars along with five two kilo bags of high quality amphetamine which could have been cut to produce more of the drug.

Unemployed Gorrian told officers that he owed a £2000 debt over cannabis and had been threatened.

He was told that he had to do one run and the debt would be forgotten. If he did not do it he was getting his legs broken, he claimed.

He said he understood that he was picking up bricks of cannabis and did not know any other kind of drug was to be collected.

His counsel Mark Moir said Gorrian had never previously been involved in the supply of drugs, adding: "He deeply regrets what he did."

Gibb, who did gardening work, told police he had "chummed" a friend down to England so that he was not bored. He told police he did not know what was in the boxes and was shocked when police told him but he admitted to a social worker who prepared a report on him that he suspected drugs had been collected.

http://www.linlithgowgazette.co.uk 26/04/2013