Prison Sentence 1St Time Offence

[Letsgofishing]

Someone very close to me, never been in trouble with the law, always worked from leaving school, made one stupid mistake, drugs and delivering were involved, he was used as a taxi service basically, he was given a 7 year prison sentence, now don't get me wrong, I realise it was very stupid, but what I don't understand is it was a first time offence, and I personally think the sentence was quite steep when you consider, some crimes are a lot worse for less prison time, and by giving a 1st time offender such a lengthy sentence, surely he will be learning a lot more tricks and scams in prison, than if he had been punished him in some other way.

[melv16]

If they were first class drugs, then I think the sentence was about right. He's a very silly man!

[Mamyalynne]

You will obviously see it in a different way to anyone else who isn't close to him (believe me I do know) - I take your point about learning things whilst inside and hope that doesn't happen.

[yogi-bear]

Those drugs could have killed somebody, so no sympathy there....as far as learning more 'scams and tricks' whilst he's in prison...his choice when he is released....and if he chooses to use them, he'll probably end up inside again....no sympathy again.

Hopefully, will learn his lesson whilst serving his time....if he behaves inside, he could be out in about 3 and a half years.

[New Judge]

Sentencing for possession of drugs with intent to supply (PWITS) is a complex business and it is impossible to comment on the sentence without much more detail. Much depends on the type and amount of drugs involved and the role played by the defendant. The guidelines are are here:

https://www.sentencingcouncil.org.uk/offences/item/supplying-or-offering-to-supply-a-controlled-drug-possession-of-a-controlled-drug-with-intent-to-supply-it-to-another/

If you read them you can see it is quite easy to commit a sentence with a starting point of seven years.

[Guilbert53]

>>>surely he will be learning a lot more tricks and scams in prison,

Using that criteria we would never put anyone in prison.

Many people think prison is not the best punishment for any crime, but what alternative is there?

At least while in prison he wont be delivering any more drugs to anyone!

[Togo]

Letsgofishing. Sling yer hook. Drug dealers and their helpers need locking away for longer. If they make each other as sick as they make the innocent when they are banged up......good. Let'sgophishing indeed, if you reel em in do you chuck em back?

[Letsgofishing]

Also he didn't know what was in the parcel, (or he chose not to who knows) he was asked to deliver, let's hope paedophiles, child murderers and the like, get hefty sentences, although I don't condone anything to do with drugs, drug takers choose to take them, poor kids and babies don't ask to be raped and killed.

[Peter Pedant]

one mistake - three time a night for three years
this is about standard for dealing

we dont know the facts of the case
anyway he mau be out in e and bit years wont he

[Letsgofishing]

Apparently, the sentence for drug crime is nothing to do with the people drugs can kill, but more to do with the extra work for the police and the courts.

[melv16]

I think he must have known what was in the parcels. People don't pay a lot of money for a pair of shoes to be delivered! It he didn't twig, then he's a 'king idiot!

[Togo]

This sounds more like JuJu man with every post. :))

[Letsgofishing]

He probably did twig but chose to take his chances, but it back fired, obviously, it's not the punishment he was given, its the amount he was given he was a glorified taxi service, a decent person (sometimes decent people do stupid things) its the length of sentence, compared to child killers, rapists etc.,

[bednobs]

i highly dpubt it was a first time offence - more like first time caught

[Letsgofishing]

Who knows for definite, but do know he had a full time job, so he would of been a very busy man, If he was doing the courier job as a side line.

[EDDIE51]

What you have described is a classic case of drug dealing & supply.
The defence is ALWAYS '' I didn't know what was in the parcels'' or
''I was just doing a friend a favour''.
What were the drugs, class 'A' or class 'B' ? That makes a huge difference. How many times did he do the 'job' ? Again they ALWAYS say ''it was the first time I have done it''
The police will have been watching and observing him for a while to try to see where he was getting the stuff from and where he was delivering it to. It is possible that he was stopped for another reason and the drugs were just found when the police checked the car,but that does not seem likely. A 7 year sentence would indicate he was a LOT more involved than just a 'one off' trip.
Anyway, he will have no problems in jail, 80% of all crime is drug related in one way or another. In prison ,drug offenders fit in well,it is child abusers and sex offenders who get a hard time.
He may be a close friend, but I VERY much doubt you are getting the full story.

[Peter Pedant]

I speculate that he was caught with drugs and money in his car and he wasnt therefore in a good position to say it was a one off

and the crown was in a good position to persuade the jury he was dealing

[Letsgofishing]

It was class A I'm not asking for sympathy, neither is he, I could just not work out how, these courts dish out the sentencing, comparing a drug courier to a child killer or rapists, who more often than not dont get half the sentence given to my pal.

[EDDIE51]

Your answer at 20.35 is total rubbish. The sentence for drug dealing has EVERYTHING to do with the harm they cause. Not so much the actual effects of using them but crime to get the cash to pay for them.
The time police put onto drug crime is due to the fact that, as I said, 80% 0f ALL crime is drug related. Either supplying / producing them or committing offences such as theft, fraud & deception to get the cash to pay for them. Your mate may have been caught by 'Crimestoppers' the organisation that collects anonymous information about criminal activity. Anyone who has information can give that information without any possibility of being identified. You can get a code name and use that code name to make reports about drug or other crime. I have a crimestoppers code name. I have successfully reported 2 drug dealers who have convicted and I am collecting information on a third one. Not even the crimestoppers operators or the police can know my identity if I use my code name.

[EDDIE51]

7 years for intent to supply class A is not excessive. But as I said it does mean the police /court are sure it was NOT a 'one off'. There is no alternative to prison for a class A offence,he may have got away with a non custodial for an offence involving class B though.