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Vasey loses appeal over French cannabis charge
Page 7
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• John Vasey, the truck driver held in a French prison after £2.5m of cannabis was found onboard his truck, has lost his appeal hearing.
His wife Emma says the prosecution said the reason it wouldn't release John was because then it would have to release a number of other UK truck drivers held in Perpignan prison.
"My argument is that 90% of these people are innocent anyway. The solicitors have told us that we can have a last-ditch attempt to get John released but that this could be very expensive— and the fund is rapidly running out," says Emma.
"The worst thing is I have been unable to visit him. If] go to France, there is a chance that I won't come back to the UK—as I had a close connection with the business, the police may think that I had something to do with the drugs."
Vasey, owner of Houghton Le Spring-based JD Vasey Transport, was stopped by French Customs on 28 February on his way back from Spain.
His vehicle was searched and cannabis resin was found in the shrink-wrapped pallets he had picked up from a regular Spanish client in Barcelona (CM31Jul-6 Aug).
• Truck drivers held a go-slow convoy last Monday (18 June) In support of John Vasey and the Blue Ribbon campaign for British truck drivers held in overseas jails.
Over 40 vehicles took part In the convoy, which travelled down the Al from Washington to London before visiting the French Embassy to hand over a 2,500-strong petition for John's release.
John's mother Mary says: We only expected to hand the petition to security so were surprised to be greeted by the French Charge d'Affaire. He already had a file on John and asked a few more questions about him. He said he could not influence the French legal system—only the Judge could make a decision over whether John was guilty or not—but he would write a report and fax it to the Judge. Emma and I both left thinking we had at last achieved something."