2:34pm Monday 14th April 2008
By Court Reporter
A SMUGGLER involved in the illegal importation and distribution of tobacco products has been ordered to do 100 hours of unpaid work for the community.
52-year-old Nicholas Harrison, must also forfeit £20,000 and pay £10,000 costs and a £1,000 fine from more than £31,000 seized by the police when they searched his home in Trevean Road, Truro on December 15, 2005.
Harrison admitted converting criminal property on the morning his Truro Crown Court trial was due to begin on Monday. He denied further charges relating to conspiracy to supply drugs and converting criminal property and the Recorder ordered that these should lie on the file, not to be proceeded with without leave of the court or the Court of Appeal.
Prosecutor Jo Martin said that police officers had also seized 120 packets of cigarettes which were not obtainable in this country but appeared to be of Greek origin and 27 packets of toboacco bought in Germany or elsewhere. Investigation of his bank account from February 2003 and revealed an unexplained excess of income.
Harrison, Miss Martin alleged, had converted money by sending £20,000 to his wife in Thailand. When interviewed he denied involvement in any criminal activity. Another man, more heavily involved, had been given a suspended prison sentence and forfeited £100,000.
Defence counsel Michael Melville-Shreeve stressed that Harrison, a man of previous good character, had been on bail for 2 1/2 years facing the possibility of imprisonment.
"It was his own fault because he was involved in crime but it was a heavy punishment," he submitted. Discharged from the Army when he injured his back in a parachute jump, his Thai wife had died in February 2006 and he could not afford to go out to her funeral. He now had income of £55 a week to start life anew.
Recorder Adam Vaitilingam told Harrison: "You have lost your good character and brought humiliation and shame on yourself and your family."
© Copyright 2001-2010 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.falmouthpacket.co.uk