Co Antrim: Man caught with cocaine and cannabis worth thousands in car claimed he was acting under duress after being threatened by gun gang
A man caught with thousands of pounds worth of cocaine and cannabis in a car claimed he was acting under duress after four men, one with a gun, came to his door and threatened him.
Details were given to Antrim Magistrates Court, sitting in Ballymena, where the 35-year-old pleaded guilty to possessing cocaine and cannabis with intent to supply.
Krzysztof Weglowski, with an address given as Garden Village in Antrim town, had the assistance of a Polish interpreter at court. The offences were detected on July 31 last year when police stopped a car at Ballymena Road, Antrim.
There was a "kilo of herbal cannabis" in bags in a footwell. There was also 126 grammes of cocaine inside a packet.
A prosecutor said the defendant told police "four men came to his door, one with a gun, and threatened him and his children and he was told to act as a courier to transport drugs".
Weglowski had no previous convictions. The court was told the cannabis was worth between £4-6,000 and the cocaine was also of a similar estimated value".
District Judge Nigel Broderick queried why the Public Prosecution Service prosecuted such a case at the Magistrates Court where the maximum sentence was six months, rather than send it to the Crown Court. The prosecutor replied: "He had no previous convictions."
The judge replied: "I find that surprising to say the least. So the prosecution think that no one should get more than six months for carrying £8-12,000 worth of drugs."
The court was told the defendant is a laboratory technician.
A defence barrister said it was a case which showed what could happen "if you take drugs and involve yourself with people of that kind. This is where you will end up".
He said the defendant owed money to drug dealers and they asked him to do a courier run "to help pay off his debt".
The defendant had been using drugs because of "stress" but is now "drug free" and goes to a gym.
Judge Broderick said there had to be a deterrence in such cases and that prison should be expected.
He added: "These are the type of people that drug dealers perhaps target, people with no convictions that maybe aren't on the police radar."
The judge said his hands were "tied" but the sentencing powers at Magistrates Court level for such a case were "wholly inadequate" and "sends the wrong message out to those who involve themselves in such offences".
He said the maximum sentence at his court was six months and he was obliged by law to take into account the guilty plea and reduce the sentence accordingly.
The judge also took into account the clear record and points made in mitigation and jailed the defendant for four months.
He added: "This court must send a clear message that if anyone involves themselves in such activity they should readily expect a custodial sentence."
The defendant was given bail for appeal in the sum of £500.