A 40-year-old taxi driver named Karl Bennett has been sentenced to six years and four months in jail after being caught with cocaine hidden in the car he was driving. Bennett was stopped by police at approximately 6:00 PM on 7th January for driving erratically in the Strang area. A search of the vehicle led to the discovery of a blue plastic bag containing cocaine. Subsequent searches of Bennett’s garage and bedroom revealed drugs with a street value ranging from £27,250 to £54,500.
During the court proceedings at Douglas Courthouse, it was revealed that Bennett appeared nervous when stopped by officers and declined to comment during the police interview. He later pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine with intent to supply. Bennett’s defense advocate explained that he had associated with the wrong individuals and had accumulated a debt due to personal drug use. To clear this debt after being unable to work over Christmas because of illness, Bennett had been involved in delivering the drugs. Despite having no prior criminal record, Bennett’s actions were deemed extremely serious by Deemster Graeme Cook, particularly given that the drugs were found in multiple locations in an apparent attempt to conceal them.
In addition to his prison sentence, Bennett was ordered to repay £27,095 within six months under the Proceeds of Crime Act, with £3,000 of that amount going to a local charity. This case serves as a cautionary tale about the consequences of involvement in drug-related offenses.
