May 28, 2019 9.29 am This story is over 58 months old

Midlife crisis drug mule jailed for two years

Officers stopped his vehicle in the early hours of the morning and found a major stash of drugs
James Dunnett.

Police found a stash of cocaine and MDMA when they stopped a driver in the early hours of the morning.

The vehicle being driven by James Dunnett was seen by officers on Woodhill Avenue, Gainsborough. They stopped the car and he failed a breath test.

Andrew Scott, prosecuting, said that Dunnett was arrested for drink driving and the vehicle was then searched.

Three self-sealed bags containing cocaine were found and a further search led to the discovery of a Thermos flask which was inside a carrier bag under the driver’s seat.

Mr Scott said: “The flask contained a quantity of self-sealed bags and three packages containing powder.”

The packages contained 45gs of MDMA and a total of 27gs of cocaine. The drugs had a street value of between £3,500 and £4,500.

Mr Scott said that Dunnett had been acting as a courier transporting the drugs from one place to another.

Dunnett, 50, of Bridge Street, Gainsborough, admitted two charges of possession of drugs with intent to supply as a result of the incident on December 9, 2017. He was jailed for two years.

The court was told that Dunnett was dealt with by magistrates at an earlier hearing for the drink driving offence committed on the night that he was stopped.

Recorder Jacob Hallam QC, passing sentence, told him: “I am told this was a mid-life crisis. If that’s right it was a mid-life crisis that has had catastrophic consequences for you.

“This offending is so serious that even for a man of your years who is in work the only proper sentence is one of immediate custody.”

David Eager, in mitigation, said that Dunnett was going through something of a mid-life crisis at the time of this.

He said: “Since this he has got himself clean of drugs. He has worked hard and he is in employment. I appeal to you to give this man a chance.”