Director who worked on The Shard guilty of drugs crime (From Darlington and Stockton Times)

Director who worked on The Shard guilty of drugs crime

8:00am Thursday 16th August 2012 in News By Graeme Hetherington

AN operations director who said he was “flying the flag” for the region when he worked on The Shard in London has admitted supplying drugs.

Gary King was caught in possession of cannabis with intent to supply when he was picked up following a surveillance operation in Grimsby last August.

Last month, he appeared in The Northern Echo talking about the work he was doing on the London landmark while working for a North-East company.

The 45-year-old, of Lancaster Way, Thornaby , near Stockton, this week appeared in the dock alongside Kaiyn Crooks, 24, of Piper Knowle Road, Stockton, who pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of cannabis, and Shaun Dufty, 44, of Loft Avenue, Grimsby, who admitted producing and supplying cannabis.

David Dixon, prosecuting, told Grimsby Crown Court that police watched as Dufty handed over a large cardboard box of cannabis from his car during a meeting with King and Crooks at a hotel in North Killingholme, North Lincolnshire.

There appeared to be an exchange of money. King and Crooks were detained and inside the box was 2.45kg of cannabis, with a street value of £13,965 to £20,996.

King was found with £500 in his back pocket and £1,100 in another pocket.

Dufty later showed police bundles of cash, totalling £12,900, on a bed at Dufty’s then home in Albatross Drive, Grimsby.

A holiday voucher was also seized.

Nothing was found at another of his properties in Cromwell Road, Grimsby, but at his Loft Avenue address a cannabis factory was found.

There were eight large cannabis plants and 31 smaller ones in a bedroom, with extractors and lights. Growing products were in a shed.

Adrian Dent, representing King, said the father-of-three had been operations director of a successful company but became involved in the matter after two of his nephews suffered drug problems.

He was approached by people who were owed money and was told that the debt was being transferred to him because he was seen as having money.

The court heard that King had 19 previous convictions but that Crooks had no previous convictions.

King was given a one-year suspended prison sentence, 280 hours’ unpaid work and will have to pay £1,200 costs at a later proceeds of crime hearing.

Crooks was given an eightmonth suspended prison sentence, 200 hours’ unpaid work and was ordered to pay £1,200 costs.

Dufty was jailed for two years and three months.