Man who got cannabis posted to home given "opportunity to avoid custody"

Wednesday 22 February 2023

A 20-year-old man who attempted to have two vacuum-sealed packs of cannabis resin posted to him has been spared prison.

Alfie Jack Atterbury was instead sentenced to 70 hours of community service - but warned that another drugs offence will land him "straight into La Moye".

The Magistrate's Court heard that the packs posted last October together contained 63 grams of the class B drug, with an estimated street value of £2,200.

The parcels were intercepted by Customs officers who then searched Atterbury's St. Saviour's home and found two empty packets thought to have also contained cannabis resin, along with drug paraphernalia.

The 20-year-old pleaded guilty in the Magistrate’s Court to four counts of importing controlled drugs.

Legal adviser Howard Tobias, prosecuting, said: "[Atterbury] said he had bought the cannabis online – it was for personal use and it was not to be sold."

He added that Atterbury had a previous caution for possession of cannabis dating from June 2021.

Advocate Nicholas Mière, defending, argued for a community service order rather than a jail sentence, stressing that the drugs were for personal use and that Atterbury had pleaded guilty early.

Advocate Mière said: "He doesn’t shirk responsibility for what he has done in any way.

"His primary goal is to cut out cannabis entirely. This was a foolish error and is deeply regretted."

The Advocate added that Atterbury had "a strong work ethic" and that he would be a "great asset to the community-service team".

Assistant Magistrate Peter Harris said "importing drugs is a serious matter for which people get sentenced to years in prison", but told the defendant that his youth and early guilty plea meant he could avoid jail.

Sentencing Atterbury to a 70 hours of community service and a six-month probation order, Mr Harris said: "This combination will hopefully be sufficient to get the message through to you that cannabis is not going to do you any good and can only do you harm.

"This is your opportunity to avoid custody and I hope you take it."

Mr Harris added: "If there is any offending while either of these orders are in force you will be back here. If it is a drugs offence you will back here and straight into La Moye."