A MOTORIST who was caught with £14,000 of drugs and more than £20,000 in his car has been handed a 32-week prison sentence.

But he will not be required to serve any further time behind bars despite only being locked up for one week.

Darren Emery, from Kingswood, was handed the immediate imprisonment at Liverpool Crown Court on Friday, October 22.

The court heard that police were speaking to a Polish man in the street in May last year when they noticed another ‘unknown’ male walking towards them carrying a bag.

When the latter saw the officers he ran away and got into the defendant’s car, at which point Emery ‘sped off’.

His Seat Leon was found parked up nearby a short time later.

A search of the vehicle revealed 2kg of cannabis – which has an estimated street value of between £10,000 and £14,0000 – hidden in three pillow cases and £22,650 in cash stashed under the driver’s seat.

The 34-year-old’s home on Kingswood Road was raided two days later, at which point a further 20g of the class B drug worth around £200 – ‘consistent with personal use’ – was discovered alongside ‘dealers lists’.

Cannabis user Emery, who had a £150-a-day habit but is now clean, claimed that he was recruited to work as a drugs courier by a Polish gang after falling into thousands of pounds of debt.

He stated that his passenger had been due to hand over the illicit substances to the suspect being spoken to by police but ‘panicked’ upon spotting the officers and thew the money at him.

Defence barrister Simon Gurney told the court that his client, who has one previous conviction for driving without insurance, had ‘shown genuine remorse’ and is a ‘low risk of reoffending’.

Emery admitted possession of cannabis with intent to supply, possession of criminal property of possession of cannabis during an earlier hearing.

The self-employed joiner – who the court found played a 'significant role' in the operation – was remanded into custody after being charged before being released on bail after a week, and has since spent 17 months serving a nine-hour daily curfew.

This is seen as the equivalent of serving a 17-month custodial sentence, resulting in him not being required to spend any further time in prison.

Sentencing, Recorder Kate Bex said: “You were effectively a courier or a middleman in a chain of couriers.

“You had the expectation of significant financial reward.

“I accept that there are features of a limited role, and you have taken steps to address your offending behaviour and had a serious cannabis habit.

“The offences are so serious that neither a fine nor a community sentence are justified.

“You have spent 511 days on remand subject to a curfew, and 256 days count towards your sentence.

“Mr Emery, you should be free to leave today.”

The dad replied: “Can I please just thank you and the court – I’m sorry for everything.”

He began crying in the dock before adding: “I’m so grateful, thank you.”

Emery is set to be brought back before the same court next year for a hearing under the Proceeds of Crime Act, when the cash and vehicle are likely to be seized and the forfeiture and destruction of the drugs ordered.

He was also told to pay £1,200 in court costs.