A deemster has branded ‘tragic’ how a dad with no previous drug offences ended up bringing in a large quantity of different drugs to the island.

Deemster Graeme Cook told Aaron Marc Glover, 36, he had never seen so many different types of drugs brought into the island in one go with cocaine, ketamine, and different forms of MDMA all hidden in the trunk of Glover’s car.

Prosecuting advocate Sara-Jayne Dodge told the court Glover, who lives at Oakhill Court, travelled to the island in a black Mercedes on the ferry from Heysham on June 18 2024 with a female passenger.

The two were stopped by Customs and Excise officers and detained for a search.

The officers and police found a plant pot in the boot of the car, which had been sealed with wax, to give the impression that it was a candle.

However, inside the pot, the officers found 328.8 grams of cocaine worth £46,900, 27.7 grams of MDMA 'crystal' worth £1,080, 499.7 grams of ketamine worth between £19,960- £24,950, and 100 MDMA tablets worth £1,500.

Glover was arrested and taken to police headquarters where he answered ‘no comment’ to all questions during an interview.

In court, he pleaded guilty to four counts of importing drugs to the island and four counts of possessing them with intent to supply.

His phone was seized and police found messages relating to drug dealing and searches for ways to conceal drugs, including the method used. CCTV in the UK was also obtained which showed the duo buying candles, plant pots and equipment later used to hide the drugs.

In mitigation, advocate Louise Cooil says her client’s arrest has actually been a blessing.

She said: ‘My client believes being arrested saved his life as his addiction was out of control.’

Ms Cooil explained that her client was forced into bringing the drugs to the island to try and clear mounting dates.

She said: ‘It is clear from the psychiatric report there is a history of drug use which began when he was 15 years old. There have been periods of stability and abstinence alongside periods where drug use escalates.’

Ms Cooil said Glover’s drug use spiralled in 2018 after a particularly difficult period but he had managed with it throughout his life, even setting up a restaurant businesses and working in the financial sector previously.

Ms Cooil added: ‘His remorse is genuine and he has three young children.’

She also told the court how Glover had used his time well in jail, becoming an enhanced prisoner and undertaking a number of courses.

Deemster Cook told Glover a long sentence was inevitable.

The deemster told him: ‘It’s tragic that someone with no relevant previous convictions should be getting involved in bringing drugs to the island.

‘I don’t think I have seen so many different varieties of drugs being brought to the island in one go.

Glover was handed nine years in prison for the production of cocaine to the island.

The other three production offences and four offences of possessing drugs with intent to supply are all to run concurrently. He also ordered for the forfeiture and destruction of the vehicle used to smuggle in the drugs.