Nothing particularly out of the ordinary here in terms of the narrative etc, except that this piece rambles on a bit...
And, of course, no surprise that he's got quite a compelling sob story, given that his sentence has been suspended. Or, at least I assume he's lucky to avoid jail for this
There's one stand out detail, though - eh?
(Couldn't fit 'driver' in the thread title, so assumed he was PHD
)
Taxi driver made 11-word confession after police saw what was sticking out his shortshttps://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/li ... d-33186452The dad-of-six was said to have turned to dealing cocaine after losing a £3,000 betA taxi driver told police "I only did it because I need money for the bills" when he was caught with hundreds of pounds of cocaine stashed in his shorts. Joseph O'Neill was said to have turned to dealing drugs after losing a £3,000 bet.
But officers then caught him red handed selling to a customer outside a pub. However, having "realised what a fool he has been", the father-of-six was spared an immediate prison sentence today.
Liverpool Crown Court heard this afternoon, Wednesday, that police on patrol in the Woolton area on July 19 2024 spotted a man leaving a pub before entering O'Neill's Hyundai taxi. The vehicle then travelled a short distance before the man got out again around 30 seconds later and returned inside.
Christopher Taylor, prosecuting, described how O'Neill, of Shottesbrook Green in Norris Green, was stopped by officers on Menlove Avenue and found in possession of £590 in cash. Having been moved into a police car, PCs noted a "bag sticking out of the leg of his shorts".
This was later found to contain 12 wraps of cocaine, each packaged to be sold for £30 each. O'Neill then confessed: "I only did it because I need money for the bills. I have six kids.
"Thirty bags they are, apparently. See all that money there. That's off tonight. I pass it to the lad. He passes me more stuff. That's how it works. I started last week to get more money."
Mr Taylor added that the money found on O'Neill's person indicated that he had already completed up to 20 drug deals earlier that evening. A series of WhatsApp message discovered on were meanwhile said to have shown evidence of his involvement in the supply of cocaine dating back to April 12 of the same year.
Under interview, O'Neill told detectives he worked as an electrician and taxi driver but had recently lost a £3,000 bet. The 39-year-old said that he was then "approached by a male who asked if he wanted to sell dugs for him for £300 a night on Friday and Saturday nights".
Julian Nutter, defending, told the court: "Dealing with whether you have a wolf or a minnow in front of you, the first clue is that there is no POCA [Proceeds of Crime Act] here. Second, he is someone of previous good character. The third is that it is somebody who was addicted to the drug which he was supplying.
"He comes from a good family. He has two ex-families and his present family and has, throughout his life, supported all of his children from all three families. His own brother has travelled from Australia to be here to come and give him support today. You can see that the way he reacted to being in police custody was quite out of character to what we normally witness in this court, supportive of somebody who is small fry.
"What you will see is a horror story at home for any parent, to go home every night to his poor wife, who is responsible for her 13-year-old daughter by a different relationship, his step daughter, who has cerebral palsy and is a carer for her daughter, as well as looking after their 20-month-old son, who suffers from a condition and is undergoing operations. It is just awful.
"Most people would find that such a strain that it would be almost impossible to live through. He has found his own prop for this, having become addicted to class A drugs. He has realised what a fool he has been and has been off those drugs since his arrest. He apologises, through me, to the court for what he has done.
"Immediate custody will result in a significant harmful impact upon others, being his partner and their children. In my respectful submission, sometimes cases arise where compassion is exceptionally appropriate, even in cases such as this."
O'Neill admitted possession of cocaine with intent to supply and being concerned in the supply of cocaine. Appearing suited in the dock, he closed his eyes in relief as he was handed a two-year imprisonment suspended for two years with 240 hours of unpaid work, a rehabilitation activity requirement of up to 15 days and a three-month electronically monitored curfew from 9pm to 6am as his partner sat in tears in the public gallery.
Sentencing, Recorder David Knifton KC said: "You repeatedly admitted to the police officers that you were an idiot for becoming involved in the supply of drugs. You told them that your purpose was to raise additional funds to pay family bills, you being the father of six children.
"You elaborated upon that account in your interview, explaining that you were working as electrician and taxi driver but accumulated gambling losses of £3,000. When offered the opportunity to sell drugs from your taxi, you decided to take that opportunity. It is apparent from the £590 found in your possession that there must have been additional wraps which had previously been sold by you.
"You were as frank in your discussions with the author of the pre-sentence report. You admitted that you had been using cocaine since the age of 18. You had been offered the opportunity to deliver drugs on previous occasions, but repeatedly refused to do so.
"Although it is not suggested that you were threatened in any way prior to committing that activity, you have, since being arrested, received threats from your dealer. I am told that the gambling debt has now been repaid using funds borrowed from other family members.
"You have now recognised the evil associated with class A drugs and have ceased your own use. You remain in employment as an electrician and taxi driver, as I understand it. You live with your partner and two children, the eldest of whom is your step child. Your partner is very much dependant on your income.
"Both of those children living with you are disabled. Your step daughter has cerebral palsy, and your son suffers with a condition which will require him to undergo surgery over several stages. You also have four further children from previous relationships, one of whom, I note, has autism. You are actively involved with the care of all six of your children.
"I have read a letter from your partner, who speaks of you as playing a huge part in your step daughter's life and being a brilliant dad to your son. There is no doubt, from all I am told, that the imposition of immediate custody would have a severe impact on your children.
"You are assessed by the author of the pre-sentence report as being a low risk of reoffending. Not only have you pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity, but you are a man of previous good character.
"You have a supportive family, a number of whom are present in court today. You became involved not only because of your gambling debt but also because of your own cocaine habit. You are, Mr Nutter suggests, a minnow, when considering the general supply chain.
"There was an expectation of significant financial advantage, as much as £300 per night, albeit I accept that you were acting on behalf of others higher in the chain. But you knew what you were involving yourself in.
"There are numerous mitigating factors. Firstly, you have no previous convictions. Secondly, I accept that you were involved, to some extent, due to an element of pressure from others, albeit, given your age and experience, you ought to have been capable of withstanding that pressure.
"Thirdly, I accept that you were supplying a drug to which you yourself were addicted. Fourthly, I take into account your almost immediate cooperation with the police and the genuine remorse that you have shown. Fifthly, and perhaps most importantly, I take into account that you are a carer in a very significant role for dependent children. Finally, I take into account that you are in employment.
"Those are, of course, all factors that ought to have led to you not succumbing to temptation and becoming involved in drug supply at all. It is extremely regrettable that you chose to do so. Those who choose to involve themselves in the supply of class A drugs must, save for in wholly exceptional circumstances, expect to receive substantial sentences.
"You can consider yourself exceptionally fortunate. If you breach this sentence, be under no doubt as to what will follow."
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