Jail for dealer who supplied prescribed medicinal cannabis

Tuesday 06 December 2022

A drug dealer who became argumentative and shoved the contents of a medicinal cannabis tub in his mouth as he was questioned by Police while he sat in his car at Le Mare car park has been jailed for more than three years.

James Quemard (31), who supplied ecstasy and cannabis, including stocks he had prescribed, appeared in the Royal Court for sentencing yesterday.

Crown Advocate Simon Crowder, prosecuting, said around 40g of cannabis had been recovered after the incident in January 2022, and that during a subsequent search at Quemard's home address, a mobile phone, almost £2,000 in cash and a "deal list" had been found.

Analysis of the phone and list showed evidence that Quemard had sold 22g of cannabis over a period of seven months, and also eight ecstasy tablets during the previous week, the court heard.

Pictured: James Quemard was sentenced in the Royal Court yesterday.

Advocate Crowder said that a further count of attempted possession of a controlled drug related to an incident later in January, when Quemard had been reported by a hotel receptionist for acting suspiciously when he sought to book a particular room, claiming he wished to surprise his girlfriend.

The room was subsequently searched by the hotel manager before Quemard checked in, leading to the discovery of two bars of cannabis resin weighing almost 200g each, with a street value of £5,000 to £7,000.

Advocate Sarah Dale, defending, said the hotel incident resulted from Quemard taking a "poor decision" after having overheard a conversation about drugs being left in the room.

The court heard that after checking into the room, Quemard took two replacement wooden bars, made to look like cannabis, that had been hidden under the bed, and was subsequently apprehended by police, telling officers that he was intending to take the drugs to the police station.

Ms Dale said in supplying the ecstasy tablets, Quemard had facilitated the supply of drugs between friends and his girlfriend.

The court heard that Quemard had been prescribed cannabis for an anxiety disorder, and had a network of friends who would sometimes supply cannabis to each other when they had available supplies.

Quemard pleaded guilty to supplying ecstasy and cannabis, attempted possession of the hotel cannabis, possessing cannabis with the intent to supply, possessing diazepam and obstructing a police officer.

Bailiff Sir Timothy Le Cocq, presiding with Jurats Collette Crill, Elizabeth Dulake, Steven Austin-Vautier, David Le Heuzé and Karen Le Cornu, said that while the court accepted Quemard's remorse for what he had done, it was not found that the circumstances of the case were sufficiently exceptional to justify a non-custodial sentence.

Quemard was sentenced to a total of three years and seven months' imprisonment.