Paddleboarder swims to fetch drugs bags for police
- Published
Rob Hailstone said it was no problem as he was going in the water anyway
A paddleboarder has been commended by police for swimming in the sea to help them retrieve some suspected cannabis.
Rob Hailstone, 62, said officers told him two bags had been thrown over the sea wall and had landed on a beach that was inaccessible because of the tide.
He gamely swam the 200m to the bags in Torquay, Devon, and put them in an evidence bag before swimming back.
Wayne Dougherty, 35, from Oakley Street, London has been charged with possession of a controlled drug.
"Public duty duly done," tweeted lawyer Mr Hailstone, external after the mission on Saturday.
His swim was captured on video with one officer commending his "cracking effort".
Rob Hailstone carried the drugs back from their beach resting place
Mr Hailstone said he had gone to the beach for the maiden voyage on his new paddleboard.
"There were lots of police running around when I got to the beach," he said.
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One of them asked him for his help to retrieve the bags as evidence.
"I didn't want to go on the paddleboard because I thought I might fall off so I swam round," Mr Hailstone said.
"I picked up two fist-sized bags with what looked like shrubbery inside and put them in an evidence bag.
"I have no experience with drugs but it looked like cannabis.
"And the police were very pleased that they'd got got the evidence."
"I'm no hero, I was going in the water anyway," he added.
Mr Dougherty is due to appear at Newton Abbot Magistrates Court on Wednesday 3 June.
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