A rapper convicted of drug crimes, who complained “people like Putin got away with far more” when challenged over missed community service sessions before fleeing Jersey, has been jailed after returning to the island with cocaine and cannabis.
Fabio Gomes, who has previously shared music under the name Fabio G on Spotify and more recently as FABZ on SoundCloud, was sentenced to 13 months and two weeks in prison in the Royal Court on Friday.
The 24-year-old was was stopped by Customs officers at Jersey Airport after arriving on an EasyJet flight from London on 4 January, having left the island halfway through a Community Service Order first imposed in December 2021.
Following a search, officers found small amounts of cocaine and cannabis, the court heard.
“I have changed my whole f***ing life around”
Crown Advocate Lauren Hallam, prosecuting, told the court that Gomes was approached by a Customs officer at 07:32 for a routine check.
He told the officer he had been visiting family in Spain and was returning home, claiming he was a local businessman and had never been in trouble with law enforcement before, the court was told.
However, it was later discovered that an arrest warrant had been issued for him in March 2023 for breaching a Community Service Order.
Gomes was then arrested minutes later, responding by saying: “This is f***ing bullshit, I am not a criminal, this is all petty bullshit… I have changed my whole f***ing life around.
“I do not do any of that… I made a little mistake. I have moved on and changed my whole life.”
While in custody, officers searched Gomes’ belongings and found 0.270g of cocaine in a plastic bag inside his luggage, 0.415g of herbal cannabis in a grinder inside his luggage, and 2.039g of cannabis resin in a sealed bag in his trouser pocket.
The estimated street value of the drugs was £45 for the cocaine, £12 for the herbal cannabis, and £50 for the cannabis resin, the court was told.
During a police interview that evening, he said he had “dabbled” with cocaine while partying on New Year’s Eve in Spain, and had put the leftover amount in his bag, intending to throw it away before his flight.
He told officers that cannabis was more “his thing” and that he smoked it every day but had not intended to travel with drugs. Gomes said he had simply forgotten they were in his bag.
The cannabis resin in his pocket was a free sample from a shop in Spain, he claimed.
“Please help yourself”
Gomes had previously been sentenced in December 2021 to 312 hours of Community Service – the equivalent of two years in prison – for seven drugs and drug trafficking offences, including importing cannabis on three occasions.
The court had warned him at the time: “Now, Mr Gomes, it has been a pretty close shave, and we are sure that you know that… If you reoffend after today, if you fail to comply with the Community Service Order… you will be back in front of this Court or another Court like us, and you know what the consequences of that will be. So please help yourself. The Court has put its trust in you.”
However, the Probation Service reported multiple breaches of the order, missing various sessions.
At a meeting about his order, Gomes said he had received “too many hours of community service” and claimed that “people like Putin got away with far more”.
In November 2022, he was told that he would be suspended from the community service scheme and that his case would be referred to the Attorney General.
Gomes apologised in an email and set out his reasons for failing to attend. At the time, he had completed 150 hours of community service, and had 162 hours to go.
In March 2024, the matter came before the Royal Court for consideration, but Gomes failed to appear, having left the island, seemingly permanently.
“He knows how serious his actions are”
After around a year away, Gomes returned to Jersey on 5 January this year and was immediately arrested at the airport.
He initially appeared in the Royal Court on 6 January for failing to appear at his March 2024 hearing.
Gomes later pleaded guilty in the Magistrate’s Court to importing cocaine and cannabis, with the case being referred to the Royal Court for sentencing.
Defending, Advocate Julia-Anne Dix urged the court to take into account Gomes’ “residual youth” when considering his sentence.
“He fully accepts that this is not acceptable. He knows how serious his actions are,” she said. “He understands the importance of complying with probation orders.”
However, the Royal Court – presided over by the Deputy Bailiff, sitting with Jurats Averty and Cornish sitting, sentenced Gomes to 13 months and two weeks in prison.
The court also ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the drugs, and ordered that Gomes pay £1,500, within seven days, towards the prosecution’s costs.