Overview

• Customs officers uncovered 19.83kg and 17.22kg of cannabis when Ellis and Poutch were stopped at Manchester Airport after flying from Bangkok via Abu Dhabi.
• Both pleaded guilty to being concerned in the fraudulent evasion of a prohibition on the importation of class B drugs.
• Recorder Geoffrey Lowe branded their actions “naive and stupid” and warned they had risked immediate imprisonment.
• Poutch received a 16-month prison term suspended for two years and Ellis an 18-month term suspended for two years.
• Each was ordered to complete 240 hours of unpaid work and 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days.