Jail for islander 13 years after committing offences

Monday 08 February 2021

A man has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for offences he committed over a decade ago.

Lee Thomas Buckley (43) appeared in the Royal Court on Friday to be sentenced for breaking a three-year probation order imposed by the same court in August 2008.

However, after completing some of it, Buckley then went to the UK and only returned to the Island in October last year.

Crown Advocate Chris Baglin told the Court that Buckley had first been sentenced for supplying a small amount of heroin to a single person, possessing a small amount of the drug and cannabis, and moving £200, which were the proceeds of crime, in 2008. Buckley was addicted to the Class A substance at the time.

Advocate Baglin said: “At the time, the court, as an act of mercy, took the exceptional step of imposing a lengthy probation order of three years, concurrently, on all four counts, on the strict condition that he agree to the following three conditions: 

“To attend at the Alcohol and Drugs service for 12 months as directed by Probation; attend any programmes as required by Probation; and remain drug free for the entirety of the order.”

The Court at the time also told Buckley that he should “be under no illusion” that if he breached the terms of the order, he would likely face a prison sentence.

Initially complying, Buckley was diagnosed with cancer in March 2009 and following treatment in England, he failed to return to Jersey to complete the order.

In the UK, he relapsed into drug use and committed 30 dishonesty offences there, among other numerous instances of failing to surrender to the authorities.

But late last year, after suffering problems with his mental health, Buckley returned to his Jersey family, and contacted Probation voluntarily to stay he was back.

Defending, Advocate James Bell argued that a community service order would be appropriate, emphasising Buckley’s health issues, his family support and his progress since returning to Jersey, including remaining drug-free.

Passing sentence, Commissioner Julian Clyde-Smith, who was sitting with Jurats Blampied and Ronge, said that it was important that Buckley recognised the consequences of breaching the trust that had been placed in him by the Court in 2008.

“It meant what it said and there is no alternative to custody,” he said. 

However, he added that the Court reduced the sentence from the two years recommended by the prosecution to take account of his mitigation and the time he had earlier spent on remand.

“The Defendant has admitted the breaches and since arriving back has made great strides to get back on track, including remaining drug free,” the Commissioner said. 

“There is no doubt that your addiction has had a considerable impact on those around you and you are lucky to have such a patient, supportive and loving family.”