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05/08/2008, 1:56 PM

dib star is not online. Last active: 05/08/2008 12:53:42 dib star

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The 'Honey Trap'

I'm writing regarding the 'honey trap' article featured in a recent edition of the comet which reported that Nicholas Cady a friend of mine had been sent to prison for supplying a very small quantity of cocaine to two under cover police women.

I would like to say that I think the judge was incredibly harsh & strongly disagree with the ruling of a two and a half year sentence which I believe is particularly unfair given this is his first offence.

I understand the need to protect the police's reputation and more readily understand the sentence awarded to Mr Nash.

However, Nicholas Cady is, in my opinion, one of the good guys, sure he made a mistake, but two and half years?!?
In my opinion a few months would have been more than sufficient.

To put things into perspective I've done some research into the widespread use of cocaine in this country:

According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime ( UNODC ) 2008 world drug report :

The latest estimate (approximately 2006) for cocaine use in England and Wales reveals a prevalence of abuse at 2.6% of the population ( aged 15-64 )

The estimated population of England in 2001 aged 15-64 is : 32,053,017

The estimated population of Wales in 2001 aged 15-64 is approximately 1 million

An approximate number of cocaine users in England and Wales ( though this figure is no doubt understated due to population growth, increase in drug usage and the remaining age ranges not being included in the afore mentioned statistics i.e. less than fifteen or over sixty four years )
is ( 33,000,000 / 100 ) * ( 2.6 ) = 858,000

There are just over 87,000 prison spaces in the UK,

Almost all of which are occupied and should certainly be reserved for violent offenders,
not one off petty drug peddlers trying to impress attractive women.

I would welcome an open debate on this topic as the issue of drugs is a complex one but clearly the solution is not to lock people up.

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