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Police knew about drugs in chocolate
< * w w w .cambridge-news.co.uk/news/huntingdon/2006/12/12/eaf4d9cb-fca3-468b-9605-70549a92e8db.lpf>
Police knew about drugs in chocolate
A MAN who supplied cannabis-laced chocolate to multiple sclerosis
sufferers for pain relief today (Tuesday, 12 December) told a jury he
believed the service was legal.
Mark Gibson, 42, told Carlisle Crown Court that Cumbria Police had given
him the impression he would be safe from arrest provided he "put his head
down".
Gibson and his wife Lezley, 42, who suffers from MS, admit they ran a
cottage industry making and posting out more than 20,000 Canna-Biz bars
containing around 3.5gms of the drug to victims of the disease around the
world over the last six years.
But the couple, from Alston, Cumbria, deny two charges each of conspiring
to supply cannabis.
Marcus Davies, 36, from St Ives, who admits running a website and post
office box for the not-for-profit organisation Therapeutic Help from
Cannabis for Multiple Sclerosis, thc4ms.org denies the same charges.
In his testimony today (Tuesday, 12 December), Mark Gibson, said: "I had
lawful reason for doing what I did.
"I believed I had a defence in law of medical necessity."
He told the court his wife and Davies also understood this to be true
throughout 2004 and the first month of 2005, the period for which the
trio's charges apply.
The website advertising the free Canna-Biz bars and the information sheets
sent out with the chocolate were all carefully written to ensure they
would comply with such a defence, the jury heard.
Gibson insisted cannabis use alleviated the symptoms of MS, as his wife's
experience and medical research showed, and there was currently no
suitable licensed medicine available as an alternative.
The court was also told the Gibsons made no secret of their activities in
the early years, with articles and features on their cannabis chocolates
appearing in the local and national media.
Detective Chief Inspector Bill Whitehead, who was North Cumbria's area
crime manager in 2002, acknowledged his officers had known "in general
terms" what the couple were up to and had met Mark Gibson twice to discuss
the cannabis chocolates.
Today (Tuesday, 12 December), Gibson said his last meeting with Mr
Whitehead at the end of 2002 left him believing the police would not try
to stop him supplying the bars, provided he made his activities less
public.
He said: "I was given the impression that I should put my head down but
continue as I was."
He set up a post office box through Marcus Davies in response. Davies
would forward on bundles of requests for chocolate and donations in larger
envelopes to cut down on the amount of mail the Gibsons received.
The 2002 meeting with Mr Whitehead was the last the Gibsons heard from the
police until they were raided this year, the court heard.
12 December 2006
--
Phil Stovell, South Hampshire, UK
"They said I should not take him to the police, but rather
let him pay a dowry for my goat because he used it as his wife"
Police knew about drugs in chocolate
A MAN who supplied cannabis-laced chocolate to multiple sclerosis
sufferers for pain relief today (Tuesday, 12 December) told a jury he
believed the service was legal.
Mark Gibson, 42, told Carlisle Crown Court that Cumbria Police had given
him the impression he would be safe from arrest provided he "put his head
down".
Gibson and his wife Lezley, 42, who suffers from MS, admit they ran a
cottage industry making and posting out more than 20,000 Canna-Biz bars
containing around 3.5gms of the drug to victims of the disease around the
world over the last six years.
But the couple, from Alston, Cumbria, deny two charges each of conspiring
to supply cannabis.
Marcus Davies, 36, from St Ives, who admits running a website and post
office box for the not-for-profit organisation Therapeutic Help from
Cannabis for Multiple Sclerosis, thc4ms.org denies the same charges.
In his testimony today (Tuesday, 12 December), Mark Gibson, said: "I had
lawful reason for doing what I did.
"I believed I had a defence in law of medical necessity."
He told the court his wife and Davies also understood this to be true
throughout 2004 and the first month of 2005, the period for which the
trio's charges apply.
The website advertising the free Canna-Biz bars and the information sheets
sent out with the chocolate were all carefully written to ensure they
would comply with such a defence, the jury heard.
Gibson insisted cannabis use alleviated the symptoms of MS, as his wife's
experience and medical research showed, and there was currently no
suitable licensed medicine available as an alternative.
The court was also told the Gibsons made no secret of their activities in
the early years, with articles and features on their cannabis chocolates
appearing in the local and national media.
Detective Chief Inspector Bill Whitehead, who was North Cumbria's area
crime manager in 2002, acknowledged his officers had known "in general
terms" what the couple were up to and had met Mark Gibson twice to discuss
the cannabis chocolates.
Today (Tuesday, 12 December), Gibson said his last meeting with Mr
Whitehead at the end of 2002 left him believing the police would not try
to stop him supplying the bars, provided he made his activities less
public.
He said: "I was given the impression that I should put my head down but
continue as I was."
He set up a post office box through Marcus Davies in response. Davies
would forward on bundles of requests for chocolate and donations in larger
envelopes to cut down on the amount of mail the Gibsons received.
The 2002 meeting with Mr Whitehead was the last the Gibsons heard from the
police until they were raided this year, the court heard.
12 December 2006
--
Phil Stovell, South Hampshire, UK
"They said I should not take him to the police, but rather
let him pay a dowry for my goat because he used it as his wife"
On Tue, 12 Dec 2006 18:31:47 +0000, Phil Stovell <phil@stovell.org.uk>
wrote:
>< * w w w .cambridge-news.co.uk/news/huntingdon/2006/12/12/eaf4d9cb-fca3-468b-9605-70549a92e8db.lpf>
>
>Police knew about drugs in chocolate
I would have thought that the police have better things to do than
prosecute (and persecute) a group of people who are performing a very
vaulable and generous service to those afflicted with MS, despite the
legal position.
I wonder, though, whether the police made a report to the CPS on their
own initiative or whether they were told to collect evidence by the
CPS. Does anyone have any idea who in the prosecution chain decided
to bring this back to court on a more serious charge after the earlier
acquittal?
Mike.
--
Entia non sunt multiplicanda praeter necessitatem
wrote:
>< * w w w .cambridge-news.co.uk/news/huntingdon/2006/12/12/eaf4d9cb-fca3-468b-9605-70549a92e8db.lpf>
>
>Police knew about drugs in chocolate
I would have thought that the police have better things to do than
prosecute (and persecute) a group of people who are performing a very
vaulable and generous service to those afflicted with MS, despite the
legal position.
I wonder, though, whether the police made a report to the CPS on their
own initiative or whether they were told to collect evidence by the
CPS. Does anyone have any idea who in the prosecution chain decided
to bring this back to court on a more serious charge after the earlier
acquittal?
Mike.
--
Entia non sunt multiplicanda praeter necessitatem
On Tue, 12 Dec 2006 22:43:42 +0000, Mike wrote:
> On Tue, 12 Dec 2006 18:31:47 +0000, Phil Stovell <phil@stovell.org.uk>
> wrote:
>
>>< * w w w .cambridge-news.co.uk/news/huntingdon/2006/12/12/eaf4d9cb-fca3-468b-9605-70549a92e8db.lpf>
>>
>>Police knew about drugs in chocolate
>
> I would have thought that the police have better things to do than
> prosecute (and persecute) a group of people who are performing a very
> vaulable and generous service to those afflicted with MS, despite the
> legal position.
>
> I wonder, though, whether the police made a report to the CPS on their own
> initiative or whether they were told to collect evidence by the CPS. Does
> anyone have any idea who in the prosecution chain decided to bring this
> back to court on a more serious charge after the earlier acquittal?
>
> Mike.
As I understand it, the police had to investigate because a post office
worker complained to them when a package burst open in the sorting office.
An earlier acquittal was appealed to the HoL where it was decided (2-1
majority, IIRC) that medical necessity is *not* a defence, which then
became a precedent.
It seems to me they've pleaded not guilty, but without a defence.
The THC4MS website has been taken down, I'll see if I can find out why.
* w w w .thc4ms.org/
--
Phil Stovell, South Hampshire, UK
"They said I should not take him to the police, but rather
let him pay a dowry for my goat because he used it as his wife"
> On Tue, 12 Dec 2006 18:31:47 +0000, Phil Stovell <phil@stovell.org.uk>
> wrote:
>
>>< * w w w .cambridge-news.co.uk/news/huntingdon/2006/12/12/eaf4d9cb-fca3-468b-9605-70549a92e8db.lpf>
>>
>>Police knew about drugs in chocolate
>
> I would have thought that the police have better things to do than
> prosecute (and persecute) a group of people who are performing a very
> vaulable and generous service to those afflicted with MS, despite the
> legal position.
>
> I wonder, though, whether the police made a report to the CPS on their own
> initiative or whether they were told to collect evidence by the CPS. Does
> anyone have any idea who in the prosecution chain decided to bring this
> back to court on a more serious charge after the earlier acquittal?
>
> Mike.
As I understand it, the police had to investigate because a post office
worker complained to them when a package burst open in the sorting office.
An earlier acquittal was appealed to the HoL where it was decided (2-1
majority, IIRC) that medical necessity is *not* a defence, which then
became a precedent.
It seems to me they've pleaded not guilty, but without a defence.
The THC4MS website has been taken down, I'll see if I can find out why.
* w w w .thc4ms.org/
--
Phil Stovell, South Hampshire, UK
"They said I should not take him to the police, but rather
let him pay a dowry for my goat because he used it as his wife"
Are bank charges illegal?
Dear sirs, are bank charges illegal? Can I recover bank charges? How do I go
About it?
Bank Penalty Charges have been in the news as irrecoverable in law! We offer
a No Result No Fee Service which can recover 100% plus costs and minimum of
8% Interest!!
Logon Now! To w w w .bankchargesrefunded.co.uk for a FREE forum where you can
begin taking back the initiative and fight the fat cat banks.
You can recover a full 100% plus costs and interest.. For 28 quid in the
year 2000 we can recover a minimum of 43 pounds.
But be warned! The banks may close your account! We recommend a new bank
account before you proceed!! Visit our site here
* w w w .bankchargesrefunded.co.uk/w w w .citibank.co.uk.asp to apply for a
new Citi bank account.
Visit our new forums where you can chat about this subject
* w w w .bankchargesrefunded.co.uk/phpBB-2.0.20/phpBB2/index.php and many
more.
Hope to see you soon.
Kind Regards
Malcolm Whytes
"Mike" <mike@kempston . net > wrote in message
news:uobun210rd8mde4bnohtqc7dtfdgmbbeq6@news.kempston . net ...
> On Tue, 12 Dec 2006 18:31:47 +0000, Phil Stovell <phil@stovell.org.uk>
> wrote:
>
>>< * w w w .cambridge-news.co.uk/news/huntingdon/2006/12/12/eaf4d9cb-fca3-468b-9605-70549a92e8db.lpf>
>>
>>Police knew about drugs in chocolate
>
> I would have thought that the police have better things to do than
> prosecute (and persecute) a group of people who are performing a very
> vaulable and generous service to those afflicted with MS, despite the
> legal position.
>
> I wonder, though, whether the police made a report to the CPS on their
> own initiative or whether they were told to collect evidence by the
> CPS. Does anyone have any idea who in the prosecution chain decided
> to bring this back to court on a more serious charge after the earlier
> acquittal?
>
> Mike.
>
> --
> Entia non sunt multiplicanda praeter necessitatem
Dear sirs, are bank charges illegal? Can I recover bank charges? How do I go
About it?
Bank Penalty Charges have been in the news as irrecoverable in law! We offer
a No Result No Fee Service which can recover 100% plus costs and minimum of
8% Interest!!
Logon Now! To w w w .bankchargesrefunded.co.uk for a FREE forum where you can
begin taking back the initiative and fight the fat cat banks.
You can recover a full 100% plus costs and interest.. For 28 quid in the
year 2000 we can recover a minimum of 43 pounds.
But be warned! The banks may close your account! We recommend a new bank
account before you proceed!! Visit our site here
* w w w .bankchargesrefunded.co.uk/w w w .citibank.co.uk.asp to apply for a
new Citi bank account.
Visit our new forums where you can chat about this subject
* w w w .bankchargesrefunded.co.uk/phpBB-2.0.20/phpBB2/index.php and many
more.
Hope to see you soon.
Kind Regards
Malcolm Whytes
"Mike" <mike@kempston . net > wrote in message
news:uobun210rd8mde4bnohtqc7dtfdgmbbeq6@news.kempston . net ...
> On Tue, 12 Dec 2006 18:31:47 +0000, Phil Stovell <phil@stovell.org.uk>
> wrote:
>
>>< * w w w .cambridge-news.co.uk/news/huntingdon/2006/12/12/eaf4d9cb-fca3-468b-9605-70549a92e8db.lpf>
>>
>>Police knew about drugs in chocolate
>
> I would have thought that the police have better things to do than
> prosecute (and persecute) a group of people who are performing a very
> vaulable and generous service to those afflicted with MS, despite the
> legal position.
>
> I wonder, though, whether the police made a report to the CPS on their
> own initiative or whether they were told to collect evidence by the
> CPS. Does anyone have any idea who in the prosecution chain decided
> to bring this back to court on a more serious charge after the earlier
> acquittal?
>
> Mike.
>
> --
> Entia non sunt multiplicanda praeter necessitatem
"malcolm" wrote:
> Are bank charges illegal?
Yes, if excessive ..... any charge should not exceed the cost of the breach.
In other words, banks can only impose charges which are in proportion to
their costs.
Source:
* w w w .moneysavingexpert . com /cgi-bin/viewnews.cgi?newsid1141050760,24632,>
> Are bank charges illegal?
Yes, if excessive ..... any charge should not exceed the cost of the breach.
In other words, banks can only impose charges which are in proportion to
their costs.
Source:
* w w w .moneysavingexpert . com /cgi-bin/viewnews.cgi?newsid1141050760,24632,>
"Handy" <no-spam-here@e-mail . net > wrote in message
news:4583a028@212.67.96.135...
> "malcolm" wrote:
>> Are bank charges illegal?
>
> Yes, if excessive ..... any charge should not exceed the cost of the
> breach. In other words, banks can only impose charges which are in
> proportion to their costs.
This applies only to fees relating to "damages for breach".
A charge for an contracted sevice can be whatever the bank
wish to charge.
The point at issue here is whether a charges for, for example,
exceeding on overdraft limit are damages for breach or a
legitimate fee for a service.
ISTM that the banks are stuffed by their practice of charging
the fee repeatedly. If the fee were a fee for the service of
reassessing your overdraft limit then they would only be able
to charge it the first time you went over. They should then
increase your limit up to the amount that they have now
decide you are 'good for' so they don't get to charge when
you go over (the old limit) again.
OTOH If they bounce a cheque, they are more or less
admitting that the customer is in breach, a bank wouldn't
have many customers if it randomly bounched cheques of
customers who's account is conducted to the terms
of the contract.
tim
"Phil Stovell" <phil@stovell.org.uk> wrote in message
news:pan.2006.12.12.18.31.44.17488@stovell.org.uk...
> < * w w w .cambridge-news.co.uk/news/huntingdon/2006/12/12/eaf4d9cb-fca3-468b-9605-70549a92e8db.lpf>
>
> Police knew about drugs in chocolate
>
> A MAN who supplied cannabis-laced chocolate to multiple sclerosis
> sufferers for pain relief today (Tuesday, 12 December) told a jury he
> believed the service was legal.
>
> Mark Gibson, 42, told Carlisle Crown Court that Cumbria Police had given
> him the impression he would be safe from arrest provided he "put his head
> down".
>
> Gibson and his wife Lezley, 42, who suffers from MS, admit they ran a
> cottage industry making and posting out more than 20,000 Canna-Biz bars
> containing around 3.5gms of the drug to victims of the disease around the
> world over the last six years.
>
> But the couple, from Alston, Cumbria, deny two charges each of conspiring
> to supply cannabis.
>
> Marcus Davies, 36, from St Ives, who admits running a website and post
> office box for the not-for-profit organisation Therapeutic Help from
> Cannabis for Multiple Sclerosis, thc4ms.org denies the same charges.
>
> In his testimony today (Tuesday, 12 December), Mark Gibson, said: "I had
> lawful reason for doing what I did.
>
> "I believed I had a defence in law of medical necessity."
>
> He told the court his wife and Davies also understood this to be true
> throughout 2004 and the first month of 2005, the period for which the
> trio's charges apply.
>
> The website advertising the free Canna-Biz bars and the information sheets
> sent out with the chocolate were all carefully written to ensure they
> would comply with such a defence, the jury heard.
>
> Gibson insisted cannabis use alleviated the symptoms of MS, as his wife's
> experience and medical research showed, and there was currently no
> suitable licensed medicine available as an alternative.
>
> The court was also told the Gibsons made no secret of their activities in
> the early years, with articles and features on their cannabis chocolates
> appearing in the local and national media.
>
> Detective Chief Inspector Bill Whitehead, who was North Cumbria's area
> crime manager in 2002, acknowledged his officers had known "in general
> terms" what the couple were up to and had met Mark Gibson twice to discuss
> the cannabis chocolates.
>
> Today (Tuesday, 12 December), Gibson said his last meeting with Mr
> Whitehead at the end of 2002 left him believing the police would not try
> to stop him supplying the bars, provided he made his activities less
> public.
>
> He said: "I was given the impression that I should put my head down but
> continue as I was."
>
> He set up a post office box through Marcus Davies in response. Davies
> would forward on bundles of requests for chocolate and donations in larger
> envelopes to cut down on the amount of mail the Gibsons received.
>
> The 2002 meeting with Mr Whitehead was the last the Gibsons heard from the
> police until they were raided this year, the court heard.
>
IIRC form previous articles he would have been making a nice tidy profit
from his scam!! - how much was his cannabis laced chocolate sold for?!?!
bearing in mind an ounce of cannabis (in this neck of the woods) costs >£40!
On Wed, 13 Dec 2006 04:17:07 +0000, Mystery_Customer wrote:
>
> "Phil Stovell" <phil@stovell.org.uk> wrote in message
> news:pan.2006.12.12.18.31.44.17488@stovell.org.uk...
>> < * w w w .cambridge-news.co.uk/news/huntingdon/2006/12/12/eaf4d9cb-fca3-468b-9605-70549a92e8db.lpf>
>>
>> Police knew about drugs in chocolate
>>
>> A MAN who supplied cannabis-laced chocolate to multiple sclerosis
>> sufferers for pain relief today (Tuesday, 12 December) told a jury he
>> believed the service was legal.
>>
>> Mark Gibson, 42, told Carlisle Crown Court that Cumbria Police had given
>> him the impression he would be safe from arrest provided he "put his
>> head down".
>>
>> Gibson and his wife Lezley, 42, who suffers from MS, admit they ran a
>> cottage industry making and posting out more than 20,000 Canna-Biz bars
>> containing around 3.5gms of the drug to victims of the disease around
>> the world over the last six years.
>>
>> But the couple, from Alston, Cumbria, deny two charges each of
>> conspiring to supply cannabis.
>>
>> Marcus Davies, 36, from St Ives, who admits running a website and post
>> office box for the not-for-profit organisation Therapeutic Help from
>> Cannabis for Multiple Sclerosis, thc4ms.org denies the same charges.
>>
>> In his testimony today (Tuesday, 12 December), Mark Gibson, said: "I had
>> lawful reason for doing what I did.
>>
>> "I believed I had a defence in law of medical necessity."
>>
>> He told the court his wife and Davies also understood this to be true
>> throughout 2004 and the first month of 2005, the period for which the
>> trio's charges apply.
>>
>> The website advertising the free Canna-Biz bars and the information
>> sheets sent out with the chocolate were all carefully written to ensure
>> they would comply with such a defence, the jury heard.
>>
>> Gibson insisted cannabis use alleviated the symptoms of MS, as his
>> wife's experience and medical research showed, and there was currently
>> no suitable licensed medicine available as an alternative.
>>
>> The court was also told the Gibsons made no secret of their activities
>> in the early years, with articles and features on their cannabis
>> chocolates appearing in the local and national media.
>>
>> Detective Chief Inspector Bill Whitehead, who was North Cumbria's area
>> crime manager in 2002, acknowledged his officers had known "in general
>> terms" what the couple were up to and had met Mark Gibson twice to
>> discuss the cannabis chocolates.
>>
>> Today (Tuesday, 12 December), Gibson said his last meeting with Mr
>> Whitehead at the end of 2002 left him believing the police would not try
>> to stop him supplying the bars, provided he made his activities less
>> public.
>>
>> He said: "I was given the impression that I should put my head down but
>> continue as I was."
>>
>> He set up a post office box through Marcus Davies in response. Davies
>> would forward on bundles of requests for chocolate and donations in
>> larger envelopes to cut down on the amount of mail the Gibsons received.
>>
>> The 2002 meeting with Mr Whitehead was the last the Gibsons heard from
>> the police until they were raided this year, the court heard.
>>
> IIRC form previous articles he would have been making a nice tidy profit
> from his scam!! - how much was his cannabis laced chocolate sold for?!?!
> bearing in mind an ounce of cannabis (in this neck of the woods) costs
>>£40!
If you'd actually read the article, you would have read:
"The website advertising the free Canna-Biz bars and the information
sheets sent out with the chocolate were all carefully written to ensure
they would comply with such a defence, the jury heard."
Note the word "free".
--
Phil Stovell, South Hampshire, UK
"They said I should not take him to the police, but rather
let him pay a dowry for my goat because he used it as his wife"
>
> "Phil Stovell" <phil@stovell.org.uk> wrote in message
> news:pan.2006.12.12.18.31.44.17488@stovell.org.uk...
>> < * w w w .cambridge-news.co.uk/news/huntingdon/2006/12/12/eaf4d9cb-fca3-468b-9605-70549a92e8db.lpf>
>>
>> Police knew about drugs in chocolate
>>
>> A MAN who supplied cannabis-laced chocolate to multiple sclerosis
>> sufferers for pain relief today (Tuesday, 12 December) told a jury he
>> believed the service was legal.
>>
>> Mark Gibson, 42, told Carlisle Crown Court that Cumbria Police had given
>> him the impression he would be safe from arrest provided he "put his
>> head down".
>>
>> Gibson and his wife Lezley, 42, who suffers from MS, admit they ran a
>> cottage industry making and posting out more than 20,000 Canna-Biz bars
>> containing around 3.5gms of the drug to victims of the disease around
>> the world over the last six years.
>>
>> But the couple, from Alston, Cumbria, deny two charges each of
>> conspiring to supply cannabis.
>>
>> Marcus Davies, 36, from St Ives, who admits running a website and post
>> office box for the not-for-profit organisation Therapeutic Help from
>> Cannabis for Multiple Sclerosis, thc4ms.org denies the same charges.
>>
>> In his testimony today (Tuesday, 12 December), Mark Gibson, said: "I had
>> lawful reason for doing what I did.
>>
>> "I believed I had a defence in law of medical necessity."
>>
>> He told the court his wife and Davies also understood this to be true
>> throughout 2004 and the first month of 2005, the period for which the
>> trio's charges apply.
>>
>> The website advertising the free Canna-Biz bars and the information
>> sheets sent out with the chocolate were all carefully written to ensure
>> they would comply with such a defence, the jury heard.
>>
>> Gibson insisted cannabis use alleviated the symptoms of MS, as his
>> wife's experience and medical research showed, and there was currently
>> no suitable licensed medicine available as an alternative.
>>
>> The court was also told the Gibsons made no secret of their activities
>> in the early years, with articles and features on their cannabis
>> chocolates appearing in the local and national media.
>>
>> Detective Chief Inspector Bill Whitehead, who was North Cumbria's area
>> crime manager in 2002, acknowledged his officers had known "in general
>> terms" what the couple were up to and had met Mark Gibson twice to
>> discuss the cannabis chocolates.
>>
>> Today (Tuesday, 12 December), Gibson said his last meeting with Mr
>> Whitehead at the end of 2002 left him believing the police would not try
>> to stop him supplying the bars, provided he made his activities less
>> public.
>>
>> He said: "I was given the impression that I should put my head down but
>> continue as I was."
>>
>> He set up a post office box through Marcus Davies in response. Davies
>> would forward on bundles of requests for chocolate and donations in
>> larger envelopes to cut down on the amount of mail the Gibsons received.
>>
>> The 2002 meeting with Mr Whitehead was the last the Gibsons heard from
>> the police until they were raided this year, the court heard.
>>
> IIRC form previous articles he would have been making a nice tidy profit
> from his scam!! - how much was his cannabis laced chocolate sold for?!?!
> bearing in mind an ounce of cannabis (in this neck of the woods) costs
>>£40!
If you'd actually read the article, you would have read:
"The website advertising the free Canna-Biz bars and the information
sheets sent out with the chocolate were all carefully written to ensure
they would comply with such a defence, the jury heard."
Note the word "free".
--
Phil Stovell, South Hampshire, UK
"They said I should not take him to the police, but rather
let him pay a dowry for my goat because he used it as his wife"
