A GRANDAD who smuggled £80,000 of cannabis from Thailand into the UK to pay off his mortgage has been spared jail.
Mark Whale, 56, was stopped at Newcastle Airport with a suitcase containing more than 18 kilos of drugs and arrested.
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Mark Whale, 56, has been spared jail after he was caught smuggling £80,000 worth of cannabis into the UK Credit: North News & Pictures Ltd
After being arrested at Newcastle Airport, the grandad said that the proceeds would go to paying off his mortgage Credit: Alamy Stock Photo
A court heard that the ex-serviceman had hauled the illegal goods into the UK and was planning to sell it all to pay off his mortgage as he was “about to lose” his house.
A judge spared Whale and handed him a 28 months suspended sentence and ordered him to do 200 hours of unpaid work.
The grandad, of Toll Bar Road, Rotherham, South Yorkshire, had told his wife that he was travelling to Thailand to secure a job.
Newcastle Crown Court heard that Whale had actually borrowed cash to book a ten-day trip to source drugs, in the hope that he could sell it to pay off his arrears of over £7,000.
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When his flight landed in Newcastle Airport, Whale was stopped at the green channel and told his suitcase would be examined.
Prosecutor Kevin Warlaw told the court that Whale had confirmed that the suitcase was his and that he packed it.
Inside his luggage were 18 packages of cannabis with a total weight of 18.56 kilos.
Whale had been flying with cannabis worth an estimated value of between £50,000 to £80,000.
Whale was arrested and gave no reply when interviewed but later said he was “trying to pay my mortgage” and “I was about to lose my house”.
In court, Judge Tim Gittins told him: “Undoubtedly you were in financial difficulties but instead of raising money through legitimate methods you firstly borrowed a lump sum and secondly told your wife you were travelling to Thailand to secure employment.”
The judge said Whale appeared to show “some surprise” at the value of the drugs and told him: “That would, of course, not just resulted in you being able to cover the debt you were in but would have left you with an enormous profit as well.
“It is clear your principle concern however was the debt on your mortgage.”
Judge Gittins said Whale executed a “high stakes” but unsophisticated plan to raise cash which did not consider the dangers associated with cannabis, which he described as a “pernicious” drug.
The judge added: “It causes misery, causes addiction, is a gateway to other drugs and causes mental health issues, including the terrible blight of psychosis.”
Judge Gittins told Whale: “The reality is you had no particular ambition other than to cover your mortgage debt and put yourself on an even keel, albeit you went about it in a highly criminal and wrong way.”
Whale was sentenced to 28 months suspended for 30 months with 200 hours of unpaid work, rehabilitation and supervision requirements.
Rachel Hedworth, defending, said the offence was “borne out of complete desperation” and was an isolated incident.
