Prison for fugitive drug courier
A fugitive drug courier who was not arrested despite appearing in an English court while on the run has been jailed for three years and nine months.
Liverpudlian John McMahon, 38, fled after being bailed on charges of transporting amphetamine in South Lanarkshire in 2002.
He finally admitted the charge at the High Court in Edinburgh earlier this month after being located in Holland.
Lord Brailsford also banned McMahon from driving for five years.
At an earlier hearing, the judge expressed concern that McMahon had not been arrested despite appeared twice in court in Liverpool on road traffic charges while his arrest warrant was outstanding.
Police concerns
He repeated the concerns on Friday when the 38-year-old appeared for sentencing.
Lord Brailsford told prosecutors: “I asked that my concerns that Liverpool police failed to check their computer system to be passed on…I hope that has been done.
“If it hasn’t been done I hope that it will be.”
The court had heard how McMahon was caught transporting amphetamine, with an estimated street value of £96,000, to Scotland in 2002.
He was initially stopped by police on the M74 near Lesmahagow, South Lanarkshire, in March 2002, for driving above the speed limit.
After noticing that he was acting nervously, officers asked him to open the boot.
McMahon said there was a problem before taking off in the car, pursued by police.
The court heard how a high-speed chase then ensued, with McMahon driving at up to 120mph to avoid capture.
Outstanding warrant
He eventually left the motorway and came to a stop near Stonehouse, after narrowly avoiding crashing into several motorists.
Officers arrested him and found 10 bags of amphetamine in the boot of his car.
McMahon appeared at Hamilton Sheriff Court later that year and was bailed to appear at the High Court in Glasgow in January 2003 to face drugs and reckless driving charges.
When he failed to appear, a warrant was granted for his arrest.
He was eventually located in Holland in 2008 and a further European arrest warrant was issued.
However, McMahon returned to Britain and was detained on Merseyside in February this year before being transferred into the custody of Strathclyde Police.
It emerged earlier this month at the High Court in Edinburgh that he had appeared twice in court in Liverpool on road traffic charges while the arrest warrant was outstanding.
McMahon admitted attempting to defeat the ends of justice by failing to appear at the High Court in Glasgow in 2003 after being granted bail.
He also pled guilty to being concerned in the supply of amphetamine in March 2002, reckless driving, and driving without insurance.
Related posts:
- Drug courier handed prison term
- Colombian beauty queen arrested on drug charges
- DMX arrested over court absence
- British backpacker freed from prison in India after five years
- Drugs courier ‘got tired of bus’
- Stranraer heroin dealer given prison term
- Drug courier’s companion jailed
- Prison for drugs money launderers
- Prison smuggling trio are jailed
- Arrests in drug crime operation
