25/12 Two men were jailed for a total of 34 years at Canterbury Crown Court

Two men were jailed for a total of 34 years at Canterbury Crown Court
yesterday (21 December) for their parts in a sophisticated attempt to
smuggle nearly 30kg of cocaine into the country.

Michael Cook (27) from Essex, and Heinrich Potrykus (51) a Polish
national living in Germany, were arrested at an industrial estate in
Benfleet in Essex in February 2006. The drugs seized have an estimated street
value of almost £1.6million.

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) Assistant Chief Investigation Officer,
Chris Ballard said:

"HM Revenue & Customs is working at the forefront of the fight to stop
drugs entering the UK and to reduce the associated harm to our
communities. We aim to protect society from this activity wherever we detect
it. The sentences handed down by the court will act as a deterrent to
those involved in drug trafficking and clearly shows that crime doesn't
pay."

On 11 November 2005, officers from HMRC intercepted a German registered
car transporter at the UK tourist controls at Coquelles in France. Mr
Potrykus, the driver, informed officers that he had borrowed the
vehicle and was travelling to the UK to collect some vehicles.

The vehicle was seized and Mr Potrykus was released. During a search of
the vehicle officers found a section of the floor, which had been
adapted for concealment, which contained 30 packages of cocaine weighing
29.95kg.

The cocaine was removed and replaced with a harmless substance, and the
vehicle was then released to Mr Potrykus. Mr Cook met the transporter
at a petrol station near Benfleet in Essex, and they then travelled on
to a local industrial estate. Both men were arrested as they tried to
gain access to the cocaine they believed was still concealed in the
vehicle.

In sentencing, His Honour Judge Nash said:

"He (Mr Potrykus) played a central role, not just as a courier but an
organiser in the field. In order to make money, he exposed others to
the fear and anguish caused by drugs.

"Mr Cook is a small time villain, though a thoroughly incompetent one,
who knew what was going on. He was happy to take part in this
enterprise."

This case was successfully prosecuted by the Revenue & Customs
Prosecutions Office (RCPO). RCPO is an independent prosecuting authority that
reports to the Attorney General, and is responsible for the prosecution
of all HMRC cases in England and Wales.

19/09 Fatal road traffic collision on the M25

Kent Police were called at 2.42am on Sunday 17 September to a fatal road traffic collision on the M25. The collision occurred on the clockwise carriageway at junction two just after the Dartford River Crossing.

The collision involved a Rover saloon driven by a 39-year old man from Southend-on-Sea, Essex, and a Renault Clio driven by an 18-year old woman from Romford, Essex. After the collision both vehicles hit the central reservation barrier and came to a rest in lane three of the motorway.

A woman travelling as a front-seat passenger in the Renault Clio got out of the car and was subsequently hit by two other cars travelling on the M25. The 19-year old from Romford in Essex was declared dead at the scene by paramedics.

The other people involved received only minor injuries and were treated at the Queen Mary Hospital in Sidcup.

The cause of the collision is not yet known.

Can you help?
Police are appealing for anyone who saw the collision to contact them. Anyone with information should contact the witness appeal line on 01622 798538.

01/09 Life sentences for men who murdered father of three

Life sentences for men who murdered father of three
34-year-old found with multiple stab wounds
Scott Upton - murdered in October 2005
Two people have been jailed for a total of 45 years after being found guilty of murdering a father-of-three from Gillingham.

Scott Upton, 34, a labourer, was found with multiple stab wounds in a yard next to a pub car park in Station Road, Rainham at around 4.30am on Thursday 13 October 2005.


Sentences

Neil Smitheman
Neil Smitheman, a 25-year-old roofer from Station Road, Rainham, was given a life sentence of 25 years at Maidstone Crown Court.

Kieran Morris, also aged 25, a labourer from Speedwell Close, Gillingham, was jailed for life with a tariff of 20 years.

Both men had denied murder.

A 17-year-old girl from Gillingham was found guilty of perverting the course of justice and remanded in custody for sentencing on 3 October. The jury found her not guilty of murder.


Kieran Morris
A 41-year-old man from Sittingbourne was found not guilty of perverting the course of justice.

Family tragedy
Detective Chief Inspector Mick Judge: "This was a planned attack where the murderers travelled from Sittingbourne to Rainham looking for Mr Upton over what was described by the judge as a monumentally trivial issue.

"After finding Mr Upton they killed him. This is a tragedy for the family and three children he leaves behind."

Good detective work quickly led police to establish the events leading up to Mr Upton's death.

DCI Judge: "This verdict also demonstrates that people who assist offenders and try to escape justice will be found by us and prosecuted."