'I don't accept you ran out of money in Thailand - you flew from Manchester five times in five months'

Bernard Kennedy was jailed for two years after police stopped him at Manchester Airport

A drugs mule claimed he ‘ran out of money’ whilst holidaying in Thailand when Border Force officers stopped him at Manchester Airport.

Bernard Kennedy, 46, travelled from Bangkok via Dubai but was left waiting when his suitcases were delayed on March 20 this year. When the luggage arrived, officers found 48 kilos of vacuum-wrapped packages of cannabis worth up to £144,000.

Officers later brought the empty suitcases back to Kennedy who confirmed they were his. He was arrested and charged and has since pleaded guilty to being concerned in the fraudulent evasion of a prohibition on the importation of a class B drug.

He would later try to suggest to officers that he had run out of cash when he was abroad, and said that he was approached by others who promised he would get a handsome figure for taking the suitcases back to Manchester.

However, sentencing judge Recorder Jeremy Lasker told Manchester Crown Court: “I don’t accept he ran out of money over there and by chance somebody helped him out and said ‘take this back with you’.

“He made similar trips in November, December, January, February and March.”

His barrister, Huw Edwards, said Kennedy was in a relationship which required him to go to the country so often, and that he had been charged with just one offence.

“He is extremely remorseful for his involvement. In reality, the courts are well versed in people who bring drugs into the country,” he said.

“They are never the main authors. They are, ultimately, drug mules. They take all the risk and obtain very little in reward.”

The court heard Kennedy had worked in a children's home for 20 years, but had struggled with his mental health after his father passed away.

Jailing Kennedy, of Grizedale in Widnes, for two years, Recorder Lasker told him: “You clearly had some idea of the size of this importation if nothing but by the weight of those suitcases.”

Kennedy will serve half the term in prison before being released on licence.

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