Drug smuggler jailed for importing £49k cocaine

Michael Green was arrested after arriving at the ferry port in Douglas from Heysham

A drug smuggler who travelled to the Isle of Man with large quantities of cocaine and cannabis stashed in a hidden compartment in his van has been jailed for six years and four months.

Michael Green, 33, was stopped by customs and excise officers after he arrived on the ferry from Heysham in March claiming he was a subcontractor travelling for work.

A search of the vehicle revealed packages containing £49,755 of cocaine and £10,466 of cannabis.

Douglas Courthouse heard, after admitting to smuggling the drugs, he had lied to a probation officer about the death of his son to get sympathy from the court, which Deemster Graeme Cook said was an "absolutely disgusting attempt at deception".

Green, from Kirby in Merseyside, had arrived on the Manxman's sailing from Heysham at 06:00 GMT on 21 March, the court heard.

He initially told customs and excise officers he was a subcontractor who was due to start work on a shop, but no items relating to that project were found in the van.

He was arrested after he could provide no proof he had made the trip for work purposes.

The drugs were found in a specially created "hide" within the black Ford Transit Connect Van when a further search was carried out at police headquarters.

'Beyond comprehension'

In a prepared statement he told police he was a gambling addict and had agreed to smuggle cannabis to the island, and had been given the ferry fare with the promise of £1,000 on his return.

He said he was told to park the van on a road overnight before collecting it the following day to drive it to the ferry port, the court was told.

Green pleaded guilty to importing cocaine and cannabis, and possession of both drugs with intent to supply.

His defence advocate said he had made a "wholly disastrous error of judgement" in what were "very poor financial circumstances".

The court heard Green had told a probation officer, who was compiling a social enquiry report ahead of his sentencing hearing, that one of his twin sons had recently died from leukaemia at the age of three.

However, he later admitted he had lied and the child had in fact died 16 weeks into the pregnancy stage.

Deemster Cook said Green had "exaggerated" the situation in order to get increased sympathy from the court but that had "rebounded" on him.

"I find the whole suggestion completely distasteful, disgusting and beyond comprehension," he said.

Green was also handed an exclusion order, which bans him from returning to the island for five years after his release.