News

Pembroke Dock: Cannabis pensioner gets suspended sentence

Published

10 years ago

December 9, 2014

Tom Sinclair

Swansea Crown Court

A PENSIONER who has fought a 30 year campaign to be allowed to use cannabis as a medicine has received a suspended prison sentence on Tuesday (Dec 9). The retired oil refinery supervisor, has previously served two prison sentences while taking on the government in a bid for those suffering chronic pain to be allowed to take cannabis for pain relief.

Eric Mann, aged 71, who believes cannabis can be used to treat even cancer, admitted producing the drug and to supplying it sick people.

Mann, of Harbour Way, Pembroke Dock, had earlier told the court he would fight the charges on the grounds that it was his human right to be free of pain.

But on the day his trial was due to begin at Swansea crown court he changed his pleas to guilty to charges of producing cannabis and to supplying cannabis oil.

Judge Paul Thomas told Mann that, like everyone else, the law of the land had to be obeyed and no-one could pick and choose which ones to abide by.

Gareth Mann: Avoided jail this time (Pic: BBC)

Ian Ibrahim, representing Mann, said he had been a coal miner and a construction site supervisor until he was forced to retire because of severe arthritis.

He self medicated himself and began to take cannabis, which, he said, relieved the pain.

Mr Ibrahim said police found 21 small cannabis plants and five jars of cannabis oil at the defendant’s home last year and in another raid this summer found he been producing cannabis again.

“The defendant regards himself as a care giver and looks upon cannabis as a medicine allowing him to break the law,” added Mr Ibrahim.

Mann had claimed to have developed a way of removing the psycho-active element of cannabis so users would get the benefit but not get “high.”

The court heard Mann had numerous previous convictions relating to cannabis.

He told the court personally, “I worked all my life and when I got ill I tried conventional drugs but they didn’t work. One drug I was using was withdrawn because people were killing themselves after becoming suicidal on it.

“When you’re in pain all the time and you can’t even put your socks on or make a cup of tea or anything life isn’t worth living but I found I could function through the use of cannabis as a medicine.”

Mann was jailed for 12 months, suspended for 12 months, and placed under supervision.

Judge Thomas told him, “Week in, week out in these courts see the effects cannabis has on people, particularly on their mental state. Whatever your views, cannabis does effect people’s minds, that is my experience and there is very good medical opinion as to why people should not take cannabis.

“I think you genuinely consider you are helping yourself and can do a service to others and that cannabis can cure or at least have a beneficial effect on cancer sufferers. But the vast proportion of medical opinion is that you are misguided in that and you are deluding yourself and others.”

The judge added he hoped Mann would now look at alternative methods of pain relief.

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5 Comments

Peter Warrennder

December 9, 2014 at 5:01 pm

It is the judge that is deluded, and if he believes what he said to Eric, he should educate himself to how thousands of sick people find relief from their ailments by taking medicinal cannabis. The judicial system like our governments is in the pockets of corporate powers, who are the very ones benefitting from the cannabis prohibition. How can someone taking control of their own health warrant a prison sentence. Too many times the wrong people are going on trial in this country. The laws need reforming to allow the sick the right to alternative medicine. Conventional treatments are designed to treat illness never to cure it. Why would they want a cure when they are making billions off the backs of sick people, by providing ineffective expensive treatments, full of side effects, that then need even more drugs to combat the side effects. Legalising cannabis would save the NHS millions by not having to buy overpriced pharmaceutical products. There are thousands of testimonies from people who have successfully treated themselves with cannabis, but have had to take these steps under the threat of prosecution by an unfair justice system. Sick people have enough on their plate without worrying about this.
Alan Brown

December 9, 2014 at 5:28 pm

“Judge Paul Thomas told Mann that, like everyone else, the law of the land had to be obeyed and no-one could pick and choose which ones to abide by.”
That is a highly debatable proposition. It seems to be quite acceptable in practice to evade the consequences of breaking UK law if you’ve got money and influence and can afford the best lawyers, or if you belong to one of the religions that claims exemption from e.g. animal cruelty legislation.
Andrew Lye

December 10, 2014 at 5:10 am

I have seen the effects of cannabis use on people and agree in part with the judge’s comments.
The defendant though is in great pain we can accept. I accept cannabis can help alleviate the symptoms, but the guy shouldn’t impose his views on others or supply cannabis to others. It easy for the judge to say he should find alternative pain relief. I presume conventional medicine either doesn’t work or has let him down?
It’s ironic that alcohol is a legal drug, and tobacco. Would we legalise those now, if we could start the world again? They kill thousands in the UK, every year.
darcey

December 10, 2014 at 10:27 pm

my husband suffered terrible when told he had grade 4 brain cancer, he suffered from cramps in his hands and legs, the doctors tried all kinds of medicines which never touched him, my husband used to cry in pain, one doctor told my husband to try cannabis, he said smoke a joint before bed, we managed to pay some and he smoked it before bed and for the first time in 2 years he slept all night, which made him feel better all day, then when ever he had an attack of the cramps he would take a couple of drags of a joint and within 10 minutes the cramps would ease and pain die down something any of the tables couldn’t do, they gave my husband 3 to 6 mths to live and i swear him smoking cannabis enabled him to live for 4 and a half years longer, which baffled doctors. and when he did pass he was pain free, i cannot understand why the government don’t have special leeway for people that can prove that cannabis works for them and there pain, like the gentleman said everyone’s entitled to a pain free life. cannabis works as a pain relief, and i have told quite a few people with cancer that are in a lot of pain to look into the benefits of cannabis, as well as the down falls there are also the benefits of use. all we had to do is google and we had all the answers. unless you have been there you will never no, and i hope you never get to no. i cant see how people can give an opinion when they never had to resort to using cannabis for pain relief. when your screaming in pain and nothing is working, you would use it, if you thought the pain would go….i could go on about what it did for my husband but unless you have been there you won’t understand.
tomos

December 11, 2014 at 10:48 pm

lets not forget that ciggys and booze are bigger killers than class A drugs, be honest pizzas,pies and sofas are bigger killers so never heard that DFS managers or macyds sent to jail

Entertainment

Two-day Christmas fair set for Pembrokeshire

Published

16 hours ago

November 17, 2024

Tom Sinclair

THE Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society’s annual Christmas Fair will run for two days this year, on Thursday, December 14, and Friday, December 15.

Held at the Parkhouse Building on the Haverfordwest Showground, the venue will transform into a festive shopping destination, offering an expanded range of stalls, live music, Santa’s Grotto, and an outdoor food court.

Expanded event

Event organisers Judith Roach and Emma Thomas expressed their excitement about the extended format. They said:
“We are thrilled to announce that our Christmas Fair will run for two days instead of just one. We are building on last year’s success with twice the opportunities to attend and even more stallholders. The Parkhouse Building will become a one-stop shop for everyone preparing for Christmas.”

The fair will be open from 10:00am to 4:00pm on both days, with free admission for all visitors.

Festive treats and unique gifts

Attendees can expect to browse an extensive selection of unique gifts, handmade decorations, artwork, and homeware. Local food and drink producers will also showcase festive delights, including chocolate brownies, fudge, spirits, and Welsh cheeses.

An outdoor food court will cater for visitors on the go, with a variety of hot and cold options.

Santa’s Grotto

Santa himself will make a special appearance, with children able to visit him for £3 per child. Each child will receive a small gift, with all proceeds going to the Sandy Bear charity. Advance bookings can be made via the Sandy Bear website.

Community effort

Adam Thorne, president of the Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society, praised the efforts of the event’s organisers:
“The society would like to thank Judith and Emma for their dedication in organising this two-day event. We’re delighted to offer visitors a chance to do their Christmas shopping while enjoying the festive atmosphere.”

The Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society encourages visitors to follow the Pembrokeshire County Show’s Christmas Fair event page on Facebook for updates and a complete list of stallholders.

The event promises to be a perfect start to the holiday season, welcoming families and shoppers alike.

News

New hope for rare dormouse after forest find

Published

16 hours ago

November 16, 2024

Tom Sinclair

A RARE hazel dormouse has been discovered in Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, bringing fresh hope for the survival of the endangered species in the area.

The golden-brown rodent, known for its distinctive big eyes and long whiskers, has seen a dramatic population decline across Britain—down 70% since 2000. It is now one of seven vulnerable mammals in Wales.

Conservationists made the significant find during a project aimed at linking habitats across the park. Volunteers had set up nesting boxes in the Nevern woodland, roughly five miles west of the dormouse’s known habitat in Pengelli Forest.

A lucky discovery

Park conservationist Mary Chadwick said the team had been trying to connect isolated dormouse populations across the park’s ancient oak woodlands, including Pengelli Forest and areas near the Pentre Ifan Neolithic site.

“We were looking at linking up those important sites and checking whether populations were isolated,” she explained. “A licensed dormouse volunteer took on a new site and set up the boxes. It can take years for dormice to use the boxes, but we got lucky this year.”

The discovery marks the first recorded dormouse population in the Nevern valley, raising hopes for the species’ ability to spread across the landscape and bolster genetic diversity—key to its long-term survival.

Supporting conservation efforts

To ensure a brighter future for dormice, conservationists are calling on farmers and landowners to adopt wildlife-friendly practices, such as cutting hedgerows less frequently.

“We’re asking people to trim hedges on alternate sides each year,” said Ms. Chadwick. “That would be much better for our dormice.”

Building a future

With ongoing conservation efforts and discoveries like this, researchers hope the dormouse can move closer to recovery in Pembrokeshire. The new find has confirmed their belief that dormice could thrive across the Nevern valley, creating vital connections between isolated populations.

*Nesting boxes placed in the forest where dormice were found (Pic: Pembrokeshire Coast National Park)*

Crime

Burglar jailed for stealing cars worth £90,000 from Sinclair Garage

Published

16 hours ago

November 16, 2024

Tom Sinclair

BRIAN DAVIS, 53, of Bush Street, Pembroke Dock, has been sentenced to 15 months in prison after admitting to three counts of non-dwelling burglary at Swansea Crown Court.

The court heard that Davis and an accomplice targeted Sinclair Garages in Neyland during the early hours of April 2 last year, stealing four vehicles: a Mercedes CLA, an Audi A1, an Audi Q3, and a Volkswagen Tiguan worth around £90,000 in total.

Sentencing Davis, Judge Paul Thomas KC said the crimes were too severe for a suspended sentence and noted little hope of rehabilitation. “These offences display planning and determination,” the judge remarked.

The burglars forced entry into the garage, using a crowbar to access a key storage board. Nine sets of keys were stolen, allowing them to take multiple vehicles. Prosecutor Matthew Murphy told the court: “The men left with two cars initially, returned 14 minutes later to steal a third, and returned again for a fourth.”

The stolen cars were valued at approximately £90,000. Three vehicles – the Volkswagen Tiguan, Audi A1, and Audi Q3 – were recovered the following day. However, the Mercedes CLA, worth £12,382, was only located in January this year. Damages included £5,541 to replace locks on several vehicles.

Police traced Davis through partial fingerprints found on a glove left in one of the stolen cars. He was arrested after surrendering at Haverfordwest Police Station on August 14.

Struggles with addiction

The court heard Davis had left Pembrokeshire in December, breaching post-sentence supervision for an unrelated offence, to stay with family in Glasgow and recover from drug addiction. Stuart John, defending, explained: “The defendant struggled with heroin addiction from a young age. Family bereavements caused a relapse.”

Mr John noted that Davis had been clean when he returned to Pembrokeshire and voluntarily handed himself in. While in custody, Davis completed courses and attended counselling, demonstrating awareness of the consequences of further drug use.

Recovered vehicles