Paul Farrelly was sentenced to five years and four months in prison after 22 sacks of ketamine were found in his van
A man, reportedly hooked on cocaine while transporting £17m worth of ketamine on the East Lancs Road, was employed as a courier to clear his debt, a court was told. Paul Farrelly appeared at Liverpool Crown Court via video link from jail today, Thursday, October 23, just over a month after he was apprehended by police.
The 46-year-old was driving along the East Lancashire Road on the afternoon of September 16 when he was pulled over by officers around 4.30pm. Upon approaching the van, they noticed Farrelly acting nervously before conducting a search of the Volkswagen Crafter van, uncovering 22 sacks of ketamine.
Further inspection of a pile of kitchen countertops revealed an additional 13kg, with each of the 25 sacks containing 35kg of the class B drug, amounting to a “truly staggering” total of 875kg. Farrelly, from Redbank Close, Fazakerley, was arrested following the stop and search operation and subsequently charged with possession of Class B controlled drugs with intent to supply.
He admitted to the charge at a previous hearing before Liverpool Crown Court heard how he had been addicted to cocaine, and also tested positive for the class A drug when he was stopped.
Julian Nutter, defending, stated: “He is somebody who has run up a drug debt. He has been exploited.”
He continued: “This is a man in fear not somebody who is invested in this but someone who wants to get out. They know where he lives, they know who his family is. It is a world of fear and he is living in that world of fear.”
These comments followed prosecutor Derek Jones’ statement to the court, the Liverpool Echo reports, suggesting throughout the evidence presented to Recorder Daniel Lister presiding over the case, that Farrelly was a key player in the operation.
This was due to the “sheer quantity” of the class B drug, with the haul estimated to be worth between £8.75m and £17.5m, and having a wholesale value of around £2m.
Mr Jones stated: “The sheer volume and quantity of drugs here distinguish him from a normal courier which this court often would expect.”
He further characterised the defendant as an “associate or lieutenant in this operation”, a claim promptly challenged by Recorder Lister during the hearing.
Mr Jones suggested sentencing the drug courier above the maximum guidelines for his inferred role in the operation, although no evidence was provided to indicate he was involved at the top of the operation.
Consequently, Farrelly received a sentence of five years and four months in prison. Recorder Lister said: “I have to sentence you today for a single offence but in this case the quantity of that drug was truly staggering.”
He added: “It is a drug that causes huge harm to those that use it.
“You are 46 years old with five convictions for 25 offences. You are no stranger to the criminal court. I have to apply the sentencing guidelines and it is not a straight forward case,” Recorder Lister told the defendant.
Senior Crown Prosecutor Andrew Blennerhassett, of CPS Mersey-Cheshire, commented: “This is a huge haul of a drug that has become increasingly popular in recent years.
“It’s legal use is as an anaesthetic for animals and it is used by vets. Its use in humans can lead to dependency, serious mental and physical health issues.
“The world of illegal drugs is a dangerous one. Farrelly was heavily involved, although whether he was part of a wider chain of drug dealing is unclear.
“The Crown Prosecution Service would like to thank the Merseyside Organised Crime Partnership – a joint National Crime Agency and Merseyside Police team, who led the investigation in this case.
“Their work to disrupt and disable the world of drug dealers, along with the Crown Prosecution Service, is crucial in keeping our communities safe.”
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