British man spared jail time, fined $750,000 for cocaine found in slippers

ST JAMES, Jamaica — A British man who was held with 1.5 pounds of cocaine hidden inside two pairs of slippers at the Sangster International Airport in September was spared prison time and instead fined $750,000 in the St James Parish Court on Wednesday.Glenn Mason, a 53-year-old resident of London, England, had pleaded guilty to the charges of possession of, dealing in, and attempting to export cocaine.During her mitigation plea, Mason's attorney Suwayne Phillips urged presiding judge Natiesha Fairclough-Hylton to consider mitigating factors such as the excellent social enquiry report and Mason's inability to work since 1996 due to a work-related accident.“He suffered certain injuries on the job in 1996 and has been unable to work since then and has to be getting assistance from the State,” according to Phillips.Phillips also stated that Mason's spouse, who had been providing financial assistance for his legal fees, died recently, and that other family members were currently unable to assist him.“I also ask that you pay attention to the fact that his spouse is dead. She died one week after he pleaded guilty, and he stated that she would have been the person to assist him,” Phillips explained.“He does not receive any assistance from family members because his mother is dead and his father is elderly," the attorney stated, further explaining that a brother who is willing to assist is unable to do so due to reliance on a pension for income.However, during the sentencing process, Fairclough-Hylton informed Mason that his conduct had contributed to the tarnishing of Jamaica's image.“Far too often, persons visit this beautiful country, and on their way out of this beautiful country, they are held with cocaine. What that does is that it tarnishes the name of this beautiful country,” said Fairclough-Hylton.“I have to send a message to those who think that Jamaica is a safe haven for them to come and export cocaine.”Mason was ordered to pay a fine of $200,000 or spend three months in prison for possession of cocaine, $250,000 or three months for dealing in cocaine, and $300,000 or four months for attempting to export cocaine.According to reports, on September 30, at approximately 4:15 pm, a police team at the Sangster International Airport in St James were monitoring departing travellers embarking on a London-bound flight, when Mason was approached and his luggage searched.Two pairs of slippers which felt suspiciously heavy were found in his luggage and subsequently examined.Four parcels of a white substance resembling cocaine were found inside the slippers.Mason was arrested and charged.