£100k Birmingham Airport cannabis smuggler reveals moment he knew something was wrong

Jason Horne, aged 24, from York, said he had ‘misgivings’ but feared the people he was in contact with were ‘dangerous’

A skint dad tried to smuggle £100,000-worth of cannabis from Thailand through Birmingham Airport for “dangerous” people.

Jason Horne lost his job and said his mental health suffered due to not being able to support his family.

The 24-year-old admitted he had ‘misgivings’ about the cannabis smuggling job but feared the people he was working for were ‘dangerous’.

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Ultimately, he was caught. Horne, of Rycroft Avenue, Dringhouses in York, admitted importing cannabis.

On Monday, June 30 he was sentenced to two years, suspended for two years, although he had already spent more than seven months in prison on remand.

Horne was stopped by Border Force officers at Birmingham Airport on November 14 last year having flown in from Thai capital Bangkok.

Officials opened his two suitcases with bolt cutters to find 22 vacuum-packed packages of cannabis worth around £100,000.

Ilana Davis, prosecuting, summarised Horne’s basis of plea in which he claimed he lost his job following an allegation of assault for which no further action was ultimately taken.

She said: “He was suspended from his employment which caused significant financial difficulties.

“He was unable to gain alternative employment and moved back in with his partner and two children.

“He was struggling with his mental health due to requests for money he didn’t have.”

Horne claimed he heard about people being offered payment to travel to Thailand and return with cannabis.

He said he became ‘worried’ on the final night of his journey after being asked to stay longer.

On the final day he was given two suitcases and told he would receive further instructions of what to do upon arrival in the UK.

Ms Davis added: “He had serious misgivings but knew the people he was dealing with were dangerous and had paid for his ticket.

“He was told he would be paid £7,000 to bring the suitcases back to the UK.

“He didn’t receive anything due to being arrested.

“He said he deeply regrets his involvement and now sees it was a stupid decision.”

Recorder Fiona Clancy accepted the probation service had assessed Horne as a low risk of reoffending with ‘some potential’ in boxing.

She said: “I am satisfied you are genuinely remorseful. You have no previous convictions.

“I have read character references. You have plainly learned a significant lesson being remanded for some time for this offending. There is a realistic prospect of rehabilitation.”

Horne was ordered to carry out 25 days of rehabilitation activity and 200 hours of unpaid work.