Taxi Driver Online

£100 job offer from man in bookies left Norris Green taxi driver in tears as he was jailed

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/li ... s-34702643

A taxi driver was caught couriering a stash of drugs after being stopped for speeding. Peter McFadden claims that he agreed to transport the kilogram of so-called pink cocaine in order to pay off his gambling debts after being propositioned by a mystery man in the bookies.

Having apparently received a fee of £100 in return for his services, more than £10,000 in cash was then found in his wardrobe after the manner of his driving led to him being caught in the act. The boxing coach was left in tears as he was locked up today, with a judge having told him that he had "profited from the addiction, misery and degradation of users".

Liverpool Crown Court heard this afternoon, Thursday, that McFadden came to the attention of police as a result of his speed while driving along Croxteth Hall Lane shortly before 2.30pm on June 4 this year. Upon stopping and speaking to the 55-year-old defendant, officers then noticed a smell of cannabis and spotted him attempting to hide an object under his seat.

Iain Criddle, prosecuting, described how McFadden, of Guilsted Road in Norris Green, was thereafter "reluctant to get out of the car and appeared to be nervous" before confessing that he had a "kilogram of pink ketamine" in his possession. Two packages of the drug, a mixture of ecstasy and ketamine also known as tusi, weighing a combined 995g were subsequently recovered from the vehicle.

A search of McFadden's home then saw a total of £11,250 in cash seized from inside a wardrobe. He went on to state in a basis of plea, which was accepted by the prosecution, that he had begun to gamble in order to pay for his cocaine addiction and was left in "substantial debt" as a result.

McFadden claimed that he then "got speaking to a man who suggested he could earn some money by working as a courier" while visiting a bookmakers, having agreed to do so "on a couple of occasions until he was caught". Having been paid a fee of £100 to transport the drugs, he said that he was also given £50 in order to hold the money which was found in his address.

Boxing coach turned to drugs after miscarriage

John Weate, defending, told the court that his client had previously volunteered as a boxing coach and said: "He has never previously served a custodial sentence. The defendant has a number of job offers.

"He takes full responsibility for his actions. He has asked me to apologise that he finds himself in this position. He was clearly at a low point in his life, which goes back to the trauma of what happened to him and his wife in 2013. In 2013, they lost twins and, as a consequence of that, his wife took solace in drink and the defendant developed an addiction to cocaine.

"That went on for some time. He got himself into debt and started gambling. The reality is that he got addicted to gambling as well. He and his wife tried to sort their lives out, he giving up cocaine, she giving up drink. What he did not give up was the gambling. That led him to where he finds himself now."

'See yous all later'

McFadden admitted possession of MDMA with intent to supply and possession of criminal property. Appearing suited in the dock, he wiped his eyes with a tissue as he was jailed for 38 months before telling his supporters in the public gallery "see yous all later", as well as reaching over a glass pane at the back of the dock to hold a woman's hand and adding "love you" as he was led to the cells.

Sentencing, Recorder Nicola Daley said: "You were candid with the court that this was not the only occasion that you had moved parcels. But it was only a limited number of occasions, and it is a mitigating feature that you believed it to be ketamine and not class A drugs.

"Police were drawn to the attention of you because you were speeding on Croxteth Hall Lane. The police saw you trying to hide a parcel. You knew that parcel contained drugs, even though you may not have known exactly what it was. It was not a small amount. It was just short of a kilogram in weight in total.

"The cash recovered you knew was a large quantity. That amount of money must have required you to be trusted by those for whom you were storing it, but I accept that trust is different to having any form of influence.

"I accept you are somebody, through your addiction, that was naïve and vulnerable. Unfortunately, that is often what leads to people making the decisions they choose to do. You are somebody who has no relevant convictions and, in fact, nothing for 23 years.

"The pre-sentence report speaks of the debt that you became involved in through gambling, which started when your wife unfortunately miscarried twins back in 2013. Whilst at that betting shop, you were to tell the Probation Service again that you had been approached, asked to drop something off and you agreed to do that for payment. I accept that you are genuinely remorseful in relation to that decision.

"You have been a taxi driver in the past. You have previously completed unpaid work. The Probation Service say that you are somebody with a realistic prospect of rehabilitation. I take into account the fact that you have never before been to custody."

Wife 'saddened and heartbroken'

Recorder Daly added of a series of references written by McFadden's friends and family: "You have spent a large part of your life helping and supporting others, providing boxing coaching to those from less privileged backgrounds, keeping many young people interested in sport and instilling a sense of community spirit. Other long standing friends have written to this court on your behalf, each speaking of you in glowing terms.

"You have been described as a reliable driver, but, much more than that, a great friend. Those individuals find it unbelievable that you have become involved in criminality to this degree. They believe that you recognise the serious mistakes you have made."

The judge meanwhile said of a letter from McFadden's wife: "She describes herself as saddened and heartbroken. She, as a recovering alcoholic, diagnosed with severe depression and anxiety and continuing to suffer with fibromyalgia, relies on you and describes how you have stood by her and your dogs throughout the last few years. She describes how difficult she will find it if you are to be sentenced to custody.

"I accept that you performed a limited function under direction. The involvement was through naivety and the exploitation of your gambling addiction, and you had no influence on those above you in the chain. Your expectation or payment, in effect, could not be said to be significant.

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