Gang members who tried to smuggle £500k of heroin through Killingholme are jailed
MEMBERS of a gang that tried to smuggle more than £500,000 of pure heroin into the UK via Killingholme have been jailed for almost 50 years between them.
David Mather, 56, of Salford, Stephen Tudge, 52, of Bolton and William Pearson, 52, of Manchester, were convicted yesterday following a two-week trial at Sheffield Crown Court. They were sentenced to 18 years, 16 years and 14 years respectively at the same court. Mather was tried and sentenced in his absence after he failed to attend court.
The court heard a lorry trailer parked in Killingholme on May 7 2010, had arrived on a ferry from Zeebrugge at 7.30pm the previous day. The gang’s plan was for Mather to instruct a driver to pick up the trailer from the port and deliver the load to Warrington.
But the plan was scuppered when Border Force officers found the drugs concealed in 32 parcels which had been hidden in a specially adapted space within the rear crash bar.
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The haul contained a total of 5.5 kilos of heroin at 100 per cent purity. The drugs would have had street value of about £582,750.
The driver appointed by Mather was arrested when he arrived to collect the trailer but was later released after it emerged he was not aware of the conspiracy.
Following a complex investigation, Mather and Tudge were arrested at their home addresses on May 22, 2011. Pearson was arrested in December 2011.
All the men denied any knowledge of the drugs or how they had ended up in the lorry but gave conflicting reports of the events leading up to the seizure when questioned.
Malcolm Bragg, from Border Force, said: “Drug smuggling is a despicable crime. Mather, Tudge and Pearson’s criminal enterprise failed and our officers prevented a significant amount of heroin from reaching UK streets.
“This was a long and complex investigation into what was a sophisticated smuggling attempt.
“The sentences given to this gang should serve as a warning for others involved in this disgusting trade. We will catch you and you will spend many years in jail.”
29 Comments
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by Alexandr
Sunday, February 03 2013, 12:17AM
“Take the money out of drugs, kill the drugs trade. Simples”
by englander61
Saturday, February 02 2013, 7:43PM
“We sent our troops to Afghanistan to stop drug trade , But government gave cash to growers hoping they would stop growing but that failed , Our troops could burn the fields of crops to save our children from becoming addicts, But the growers would starve or suffer hardship even though the crops fund terrorist activity ,Our government is to blame past and present .”
by davendogs
Friday, February 01 2013, 9:45AM
“I know it's not exactly scientific, there must be a record being set here for all the downward reds. It is comical really considering those sent down.”
by sowhat
Thursday, January 31 2013, 11:17PM
“note to do with pressure all about money! .........”
by Thinkb4uspk
Thursday, January 31 2013, 10:37PM
“Don't like what I've got too say?? Don't read it!! ********s.”
by Thinkb4uspk
Thursday, January 31 2013, 9:53PM
“Ooo there's plenty don't you worry.”
by davendogs
Thursday, January 31 2013, 12:56PM
“A smart looking trio. Lets hope they don't have any sibblings wandering about frightening the kiddies.”
by Thinkb4uspk
Wednesday, January 30 2013, 10:43PM
“Don't put words into my mouth, what jury cries when they give a guilty verdict? Please!! Something went wrong.”
by Wilderness
Wednesday, January 30 2013, 10:36PM
“Normally the judge won't allow undue pressure of the jury, or leading of witnesses. That's two of the main reasons he's there.
It's also part of the defence's job to point things like that out, if the judge misses it.
It's virtually impossible to "get to" a jury behind closed doors, so what happened?
You can't just accuse the whole court of being bent without coming up with specific evidence. There's too many checks and balances in the system to allow that to happen.”
by Thinkb4uspk
Wednesday, January 30 2013, 10:19PM
“I said pressure on the jury not the men.”