‘If we are talking about bad choices, this was a whopper’

When she was caught with the drugs, which had a street value of up to £216,000, she was sentenced to four and a half years in prison.

The 27-year-old, from the UK, pleaded guilty to importing the Class B drug into Guernsey last September.

The Royal Court heard how customs officers were clearing passengers off the ferry, which had come from Poole at noon.

They pulled aside a Renault Clio, which had Vincent behind the wheel. Officers noticed she was shaking. She told the officers she was coming to Guernsey for one night to celebrate a friend’s birthday.

She had never been to Guernsey before and did not realise there was an airport.

She told officers she did not have any drugs, but she did occasionally use cannabis.

Officers noted that she was now getting pale and emotional.

As they took out the spare tyre, they noticed it was much heavier than they had expected. They X-rayed it and could see that where the air should be there were several blocks. It was noticed that the tyre was from a Fiesta – Vincent’s car was Renault – and it was also worn and dirty.

In the first four interviews she denied all knowledge of the drugs. She explained that she worked full time as a nanny, as well as a mobile records seller.

In the fifth interview she apologised to police and admitted she had been trying to import the drugs. She had met someone six months ago, from whom she bought cannabis.

The week before coming to Guernsey he had come to see her and she said she was short of money.

He suggested she do a run to Guernsey and offered her £7,500, which would allow her to buy a new vehicle for her business.

He said she would not get into trouble, even if she was caught, as cannabis was only a class C drug. It is in fact Class B.

When she arrived in Guernsey, she was meant to leave the car outside her hotel with the keys in it, so the drugs could be taken.

In total, 7.2kg of the drug was found in seven large blocks and one small one. This has a value of between £144,000 and £216,000.

Defence advocate Samuel Steel said his client said agreeing to bring the drugs over was the worst decision of her life.

‘Someone offered her the opportunity to make some easy money by following his instructions and bringing drugs to the island,’ he said.

Vincent had been struggling to afford a new vehicle, which would comply with London emission rules, so had needed the money for a new one.

She had no previous matters on her record.

Judge Russell Finch said Vincent must have been aware she was carrying a big drugs shipment, based on how much she was being paid.

‘If we are talking about bad choices, this was a whopper,’ he said.

He said it was important the Guernsey court sent out a strong message to anyone considering importing drugs into the island.

Vincent was sentenced to four years and six months in prison.