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Watson waits for first hearing in Arras
Page 6
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PAUL WATSON, the truck driver jailed in France for allegedly smuggling £500,000 worth of cannabis, will have his first hearing later this month.
Watson (right), owner of Leedsbased Principal Logistics, had flown to Spain to pick up a tractor from a former employee. While he was there he was asked to take a loaded trailer with him and was told that another driver would meet him en route in San Sebastian. That driver failed to turn up and Watson agreed to take the loaded trailer to Gent in Belgium.
He was stopped by French Customs on the Al in Lille on 25 September and a tonne of cannabis was found in his load of pottery (CM 4 December 2003).
Watson's partner, Sarah Wilson, says: "Paul agreed to take the load because it had all the correct paperwork and indicated that the carrier was a firm he had dealt with for over eight years. This is his first hearing but the French can detain him in Arras prison without charge for two years.
"I have visited Paul and he is angry that the British government is not supporting him or any of the other hundreds of wagon drivers imprisoned in Europe.The British Consulate only visits once a year. The conditions in the prison are appalling.
"Paul has not seen daylight or fresh air for three months because he is too scared to go outside when allowed because of the number of death threats made against him by the other inmates."