Sunderland man fined for improperly importing controlled drugs into UK

A man has been punished by a court for importing into the country drugs for personal use allowed only on prescription.

Peter Dickinson, 43, of Well Street, Millfield, ordered a batch of epilepsy and anxiety treatment drug pregabalin from an overseas internet website.

And when his home was searched by police, he was found in possession of sleeping disorder drug Zopiclone – also unavailable except through a doctor.

At South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court, he pleaded guilty to a charge of the improper importation into the UK of class C pregabalin on Friday, October 13.

The quantity of the drug was not revealed and an ordered report to be compiled by a police expert had not been done.

Dickinson also admitted a charge of possession of controlled class C Zopiclone in Sunderland on Wednesday, November 15, which did not relate to importation.

A pre-sentence report into Dickinson, compiled by the Probation Service following him entering two guilty pleas at an earlier hearing, was made available to the court.

Prosecutor Mike Lawson did not open the case but Joanne Gatens, defending, urged magistrates to go along with the recommendations of the report.

The Probation Service recommended Dickinson be sentenced to a 12-month community order, with requirements of 15 rehabilitation days and a four-month drug rehabilitation order.

Mrs Gatens told the hearing Dickinson had pleaded guilty to the charges at the first opportunity and had taken steps under his own initiative towards rehabilitation.

She also revealed he had been involved in a motorbike accident several years earlier.

Magistrates went along with the recommendations of the report and also ordered Dickinson to pay a £114 victim surcharge and £85 court costs.

They further ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the drugs.