Milkman delivered cannabis to pensioners

[grace]

A milkman delivered cannabis to elderly pensioners on his rounds to help ease their "aches and pains", a court has heard.

 

Milkman Robert Holding leaves Burnley Crown Court Photo: PA

 

 

Robert Holding's customers left him notes on the doorstep asking for the drug to be left with their daily pint.

 

But despite admitting dealing to 17 pensioners, the eldest of whom was 92-years-old, for at least six months, the judge spared Mr Holding jail because his wife has Alzheimer's disease.

 

Burnley Crown Court heard that Holding, 72, made very little profit drug-dealing and believed he was providing a "public service".

 

Sarah Statham, prosecuting, said: "This is a 72-year-old milkman who in addition to supplying his regular customers with milk, he also supplied them with cannabis resin."

 

After a four-week investigation police officers raided his house in Burnley, Lancashire.

 

When his Ford Transit van was searched, officers found 15 wraps of cannabis, weighing 178 grams, stashed in egg crates. The Class B drug was divided into various different weights and had a street value of £450.

 

Philip Holden, defending, said: "Mr Holding was not making much profit with the drugs he was supplying.

 

"Word got out that he was the man who could supply cannabis to those with aches and pains and he thought he was doing a public service."

 

Holding admitted at an earlier hearing to supplying cannabis resin between April 1 and July 18 last year and possessing 167 grams of the Class B drug on July 17

 

Sentencing him to 36 weeks in prison, suspended for a year, Judge Beverley Lunt said: "Let's get something straight. You are not some philanthropist helping out elderly people out of the goodness of your heart, you did it for profit."

 

She said her decision to spare Holding jail was an "act of mercy" because his wife had Alzheimer's and depended on his care.

 

Author: ?

Date: 7 February 2009

Souce: Telegraph

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics...pensioners.html

[Al Fish]

If there were more types like Robert Holding the world would be a much better place.

He is my hero.

[Rose Gardener]

I agree Al. The world would be a much nicer place to live in if there were more caring people in the world like him.

 

[Nooby]

Wow, he looks like a hard-bitten violent threat to society....

[Beans]

Dead set legend!

[ledzep317]

that's awesome. damn the man! overgrow the government.