David Peter Lindley, 45, of Dorchester Road, Maiden Newton, was found guilty of importing 810kg of cannabis along with his accomplice Robert Michael Matthews, 65, of Mackmillan Road in Rowley Regis, West Midlands.Both had previously served prison sentences for importation of cannabis.During the nine-day trial at Dorchester Crown Court, a jury was told how shrink-wrapped bars of cannabis resin were imported to Lindley's business address - Manorwood Furniture on the Casterbridge Industrial Estate, Dorchester, in October 2005.The delivery was sent from Spain using parcel carrier TNT after an earlier 'dummy-run' of builders' rubble was sent to the same address.The drug had a street value of £1.6 million and was uncovered when Customs officers inspected it on arrival in into the UK.Jury members were taken through details of phone calls that police traced between Lindley, in Dorset, and Matthews who was living in Spain.Throughout the trial both men denied any involvement in the conspiracy.Giving evidence, Lindley repeatedly told the court he had no involvement in the plot 'whatsoever'.But yesterday a jury returned a unanimous verdict of guilty for both defendants.Judge Harvey Clark told the men they had not been deterred by previous prison sentences for importing cannabis.He said: "With that background you can be properly regarded as professional drug smugglers."Not only have you done this before in both cases, but the sentences passed then did not deter you from doing it again."The judge added: "The financial rewards of drug smuggling on this scale are very considerable, matched only perhaps by sentencing powers of the court when drug smugglers are found guilty."You both played for high stakes and you lost."
Lindley and Matthews were both sentenced to twelve years in prison, with half their sentence to be served on licence.Speaking after the case, Detective Chief Inspector Neil Redstone of Dorset Police said: "Today's verdict has come as a result of painstaking, but ultimately very important, good old fashioned detective work.
"From a relatively early point in the investigation it was clear that Lindley was involved in the importation of a large quantity of cannabis.
"Officers from my team then uncovered the involvement of Matthews in the conspiracy.
"A very small team of detectives from the major crime investigation team then spent months piecing together the evidence in this case."
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