On the material day the police found 73.94 grams of cocaine and some paraphernalia from his residence.
A further search conducted on his lorry the next day revealed another 18.21 grammes of cocaine and some resealable plastic bags. When he was taken back to a police station another 1.19 grammes of cocaine was found on his body.
The defendant is now 30 and has received up to Form 5 education. He has two previous convictions, all related to drugs.
Apart from his plea, there is little mitigation that can be put forward. I am furnished with mitigating letters from the defendant’s parents and from the chaplain and former employers. I understand the parents’ concern and out of their love they urge me to pass a lenient sentence. However, there are guidelines that I have to follow.
Guidelines on sentencing are clear. For the 1st count the appropriate starting point is 105 months’ imprisonment. Given his plea, the sentence is reduced to 70 months’ imprisonment. For the 2nd count, the appropriate starting point is 80 months. Given his plea, the sentence is reduced to 12 months. For the 3rd count, the appropriate starting point is 66 months’ imprisonment. Given his plea, the sentence is reduced to 44 months.
Given the total quantity of cocaine involved, i.e. 93 grammes, I order that 1 month of count 2 and count 3 is to run consecutively to the 70 months imposed on count 1.
Thus the defendant is sentenced to 72 months’ imprisonment, i.e. 6 years.