A painter and decorator was found with nearly £60,000 of heroin in his van after apparently agreeing to act as a drugs courier in return for a fee of £250. Kenneth Sherlock was said to have been left desperate for cash when his teenage son was diagnosed with cancer.
But the dad is now “punishing himself more than any court could ever punish him” after being caught in the act of transporting the class A substances on the M62. He was left in tears as he was locked up yesterday, having learned a “salutary lesson” from accepting the “no questions asked” offer.
Liverpool Crown Court heard on Tuesday afternoon, February 24, that Sherlock’s Ford Transit van was stopped by police between junction eight of the motorway at Warrington West and junction seven for Rainhill shortly after 10am on December 17 last year. A white carrier bag containing two compressed blocks wrapped in red tape was then found underneath the passenger seat during a search of the works vehicle, which had the name of his business, Sherlock Decorators, emblazoned on the side.
Derek Jones, prosecuting, described how one of these parcels was found to contain 493g of heroin at 18% purity, while the other amounted to 496g of the class A drug at a purity of 15%. These substances were said to have a wholesale value of between £23,000 and £26,000, but could have been worth £40,000 to £59,000 on the streets.
Sherlock, of Kingsway in Huyton, subsequently claimed he had agreed to be paid £250 to act as a courier as he was “short of money at the time”. The 37-year-old has seven previous convictions for nine offences, but none related to drug trafficking.
Christopher Stables, defending, told the court a series of references had been supplied on behalf of his client, including from the manager of an under 10s football team which the defendant’s company had sponsored. He added: “We accept that this is a very serious case. All cases involving class A drugs are, by definition, very serious offences. The defendant fully understands that. We accept that a custodial sentence is, in the circumstances, inevitable.
“This is an all too familiar story of a defendant, although himself distant from the ownership of the drugs, who was paid small money to take all of the risk in moving these drugs. Your honour may have wondered why he became involved in this matter. The defendant’s son, now in his high teens, was diagnosed with leukaemia about a year ago.
“As such, the defendant began spending a lot more of his time with his son. At the time, the defendant was running his own painting and decorating business. The fact that his time and attention was taken by his son inevitably meant his business suffered.
“There was then a customer default, which led to the need of the defendant to take a loan of about £25,000. All of his income was used to service the loan. The financial strain took a serious toll on the defendant. He foolishly took up the offer to deliver a package for £250, a small amount of money, no questions asked.
“The other side of his character is illustrated by the references. They are testament to this defendant’s qualities. These are references from people who know this defendant much more closely than the court and I ever can. They speak well of him. He is in a steady relationship. That is a relationship of 10 years plus. He has children himself, and he has accepted responsibility for his partner’s children.
“Two significant factors have dominated his personal circumstances in recent years. The first was his own drug and alcohol addiction. That has taken a toll across his life and has resulted in a number of his more recent convictions and, indirectly, contributed to this matter. He entered a rehab facility in August of 2023, some two-and-a-half years ago. His rehabilitation is now complete, and he is entirely addiction free.
“The second standout factor concerns his son’s illness. His son’s diagnosis had a seismic impact on the defendant and his life. If your honour looks at the letter from his son, one cannot read the letter without feeling the raw emotion and being moved by its contents. This defendant has been a huge support to his son.”
Reading from the letter, which detailed the teenager’s stay in Whiston Hospital and subsequent transfer to Clatterbridge Cancer Centre, Mr Stables said: “My dad didn’t leave my side, holding me, washing me, helping me eat and drink, nursing me, all while sleeping in a chair. Throughout this time and through to my bone marrow transplant, he never left my side.”
Sherlock was seen with his head bowed and appeared to be in tears as the letter was read to the court. Mr Stables added: “That is this defendant, in truth. The inability, because of his incarceration since his arrest, to be there to support his son has led to this defendant punishing himself more than any court could ever punish him. He understands that his predicament is entirely self inflicted. It has taught this defendant a pretty salutary lesson.”
Sherlock admitted possession of heroin with intent to supply. Appearing via video link to HMP Liverpool wearing a red Asics coat over a red Asics t-shirt, he was jailed for 30 months.
Sentencing, Recorder Martine Snowdon said: “I have to sentence you for your involvement in serious drug offences on one occasion in a limited way. Nevertheless, your decision and choice has led to your incarceration.
“Any involvement in the drugs trade, and your involvement was significant in terms of the volume of drugs, contributes to the misery that heroin and class A drugs bring to wider society. You have a family. Many families are torn apart by the misery that class A drugs bring.
“It is absolutely palpable how important your relationship is with your son, how difficult times have been personally for you and him and the wider family and how that experience, in part, contributed to why you ended up committing this offence. But, more importantly, it will make it more difficult for you and him in the course of the period that you will spend in custody.
“I also see that you have taken some pretty important steps in your own rehabilitation. References speak about a person who, of their own volition, has turned it around in recent years.”
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