DOORMAN CLEARED IN DRUGS
TRIAL
Source: The
Argus, UK
Pub Date:
Tuesday 02 December 2003
Subj: Doorman
cleared in drugs trial
Author: Huw
Borland
URL: http://www.thisisworthing.co.uk/worthing/archive/2003/12/02/NEWS95ZM.html
Ref: Cannabis Cafes
A doorman has
been found not guilty of allowing people to smoke marijuana at a café.
Jurors at
Chichester Crown Court yesterday took 20 minutes to clear Michael Allday, 37,
of two charges related to cannabis use at Quantum Leaf in Worthing.
The court had
heard how cannabis campaigner Chris Baldwin wanted to prove the benefits of a
Dutch-style cannabis café in England and set up Quantum Leaf in the back room
of his marijuana paraphernalia shop, Bongchuffa, in Rowlands Road.
Police raided
the store on November 27, 2002.
Mr Allday, of
Leconfield Road, Lancing, Baldwin, 52, of Carnegie Close, Worthing, Winston
Matthews, 46, of Court Lodge Road, Horley and Mark Benson, 37, of Irene Avenue,
Lancing, were charged with a number of drug-related offences.
Baldwin and
Benson have admitted permitting cannabis to be smoked at a property and
Matthews has admitted possessing cannabis with intent to supply.
Mr Allday said,
being a doorman, he was nothing to do with running Bongchuffa and denied
charges of allowing cannabis and cannabis resin to be smoked at the café.
Francis Lloyd,
prosecuting, said the raid resulted in an estimated £2,000 worth of cannabis
and £4,000 in cash being seized.
He said: "Mr
Allday said to police he was employed for security and was nothing to do with
the actual café.
"Clearly he
had some role, when police asked him about the safe in Cafe trial doorman
cleared the café he was able to open it.
"He was not
interviewed by police on November 27 but on January 15, 2003.
"He said,
'I'm a security consultant. I was checking things out, making sure we did not
get people you don't want in there - criminals, lunatics, drunks, drug
addicts'."
Jeremy
Wainwright, defending, said: "Being the muscle does not mean 'concerned in
the management'. He says he was there to stand on the door and look the part.
He did stand there and looked the part but he did not manage it."
After the
hearing, Mr Allday said: "I have got faith in British justice."
Baldwin, Benson
and Matthews will appear at Chichester Crown Court on January 9 for sentencing.