Community service for ordering cannabis online

Wednesday 11 November 2020

A 29-year-old man has been sentenced to a lengthy community service order by the Royal Court, after border control officers intercepted a package containing an "extremely small amount" of cannabis.

The parcel, which was addressed to the defendant, Max Dyer, was seized by the on-duty officers at the post office on 12 June.

The padded envelope contained a phone case and, inside the case, was a sealed bag holding just under 14g of Class B herbal cannabis.

Police officers went to Dyer's home address on 24 June and he was arrested. On searching the property, they found "various paraphernalia" including a grinder and a bong, as well as a mobile phone which was seized.

The defendant was interviewed that same day, and told the officers he'd "come across a website online" and ordered the controlled drug. He insisted it was for personal use, adding, "I'm not a drug dealer, if I was I'd order more than 14g".

Pictured: The defendant was interviewed at the police station.

He said he had paid £100 for the cannabis and that he had used his mobile phone to order it. When asked, he gave officers to the code to his phone.

Although Dyer has three previous convictions, this was his first drug-related offence.

"This was an extremely small quantity of cannabis for personal use," said Defence Advocate David Thompson. "Mr Dyer made full admissions and didn't waste anyone's time."

Advocate Thompson said the defendant had shown "genuine remorse and regret", highlighted in his letter to the court in which he wrote: "I don't have any excuses for my behaviour and there is no one to blame but myself".

Pictured: The defendant was sentenced in the Royal Court this week.

The Advocate said the defendant had been using cannabis to deal with his stress and anxiety, which worsened during lockdown.

Dyer had been working in the building trade but wasn't able to continue when lockdown restrictions were imposed and was eventually made redundant in May. He was told he wasn't eligible for extra support and his stress and anxiety levels began to rise, so he turned to cannabis.

"He'd gone from earning £350 a week to nothing," Advocate Thompson continued. "He easily found a website and it was an Amazon-like transaction. This was not a sophisticated importation."

The defendant realised the parcel had been intercepted when it didn't turn up, but he didn't fully understand "how serious the consequences of his actions could be" until the officers knocked on his door days later.

"Mr Dyer fully appreciates the error of his ways and has resolved to never use cannabis again," Advocate Thompson said. 

Judge Russell Finch and the Jurats gave the defendant credit for his early guilty plea, lack of relevant previous convictions and good work record. However, Judge Finch reiterated that "abuse of the postal system is always considered an aggravating factor".

Dyer was sentenced to 150 hours of community service as an alternative to nine months in prison.

"Don't break the law by not doing the hours and reoffending," said Judge Finch. "If you do, I will be waiting for you at the platform when your train comes in."

Pictured top: The cannabis was intercepted by officers at the post office.