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Judge's fury over drugs case bungle after skunk cannabis dumped from car during Thanet police chase

Judge Simon James
Judge Simon James

Police chased a car at more than 60mph and watched five men dumping more than a kilo of skunk cannabis along a four mile stretch in Thanet.

Yet despite finding more £350 on the driver, together with a small amount of the drug in his pocket, no one has been charged with supplying or possessing the huge cannabis haul.

Teenager Samuel Gooding had driven "like an idiot" through residential areas between Margate and Ramsgate – past five schools - to avoid being caught by police.

During the "horrendous" chase, Gooding – driving his dad’s Audi without insurance – mounted a pavement, drove around roundabouts the wrong way, overtook on the crest of a humpback bridge, forced other motorists to swerve to avoid collisions… and "all at excessive speeds".

But now a judge has demanded an explanation from Crown Prosecution Service lawyers why none of the "Infamous Five" has been charged with any drugs offences.

Judge Simon James (pictured above right) heard how Gooding, 19, from Connaught Gardens, Margate, was eventually caught running away with a small amount of cannabis and £357 in his pockets.

But the judge laughed out loud when he was told the teenager claimed he had no idea about the one kilo of drugs and that he had won the money playing fruit machines.

He said the decision not to prosecute the five for dealing in cannabis "beggars belief" and said CPS claims they could not prove who threw the drugs from the speeding car was "just rubbish".

Gooding was only charged with driving dangerously and was sent to a Young Offenders' Institution for eight months after admitting the offence. ​

"​i am very concerned about this case. aren't the public entitled to know what is going o​n..." – ​judge simon james

Prosecutor James Bilsland told Canterbury Crown Court how officers on patrol in Ramsgate on July 12 last year spotted the vehicle, which had tinted rear windows, in Chatham Street and High Street in Ramsgate.

Police tried to stop it, but Gooding sped away along Park Street, Wilfred Road and High Street St Lawrence, mounted a kerb and almost struck an oncoming vehicle.

In Old Haine Road, officers saw a rubbish bag being thrown from one of the car rear windows that contained more than a kilo of cannabis.

The car was eventually stopped by other officers and the five tried to run away – but Gooding was nabbed before he could escape.

Mr Bilsland told the court: "The bag was recovered and the other four detained, but no charges have come from the recovery of that bag.

"I can't explain why two CPS lawyers determined there should be no charges brought."

Judge James retorted: "I am very concerned about this case. Aren't the public entitled to know what is going on? The people of St Lawrence I am sure would like to know and someone is going to have to explain to me why.

"I can't understand why all the occupants of that vehicle aren't facing charges in relation to these drugs. It just beggars belief."

Canterbury Crown Court
Canterbury Crown Court

The prosecutor replied: "I'm with you 100%. I can’t understand why this case was determined this way."

The judge demanded a full explanation from the CPS to be made in writing to the senior Canterbury judge within a month.

Ian Bond, defending, said Gooding and a pal met three "notorious" people who asked for a lift and then threatened him if he stopped for the police.

The judge jailed the teenager, saying it had been "nothing short of a miracle" no one had been hurt during the chase.

"Others in the car have avoided prosecution and you have not been charged with offences relating to the drugs. It doesn't seem to me you have shown any significant remorse.

"You drove like an idiot and still now can't appreciate the seriousness of what you did. This was an horrendous piece of driving which put others at considerable risk."

He banned the teenager from driving for two years and ordered him to take an extended test before getting back behind a wheel.

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