cannabisnews.com: Cannabis Cafe Raided as Owner Jailed





Cannabis Cafe Raided as Owner Jailed
Posted by CN Staff on October 03, 2002 at 11:02:27 PT
Colin Davies said the cannabis was for medical use
Source: BBC News 
The UK's first Amsterdam-style cannabis cafe has been raided on the same day its owner was jailed. The news came just hours after cafe owner Colin Davies was sentenced to three years in prison after being convicted of drugs offences. Greater Manchester Police confirmed on Thursday the Dutch Experience cafe in Stockport had been raided by officers. Davies had claimed the cafe was set up for seriously ill people who used the class B drug for medicinal use. 
Davies was arrested after smoking a joint at the cafe. His defence team applied for his immediate release because he has already served nine months in jail, but the judge refused. Davies, 44, from Romney Towers, Brinnington, Stockport, was arrested when the cafe opened on 15 September 2001 after being caught smoking a joint. He had claimed the cafe was based on similar ventures - the so-called "medi-weed" system - which operate in the Netherlands. He said his clientele were people who smoked cannabis to ease painful illnesses such as multiple sclerosis and arthritis. 'Help others' But he was found guilty of three counts of possessing a class B drug with intent to supply, of supplying a class B drug and of being involved in the importation of cannabis. His trial heard customs officers seized cannabis worth £18,000 at Dover and 430 ready-made joints destined for addresses linked to Davies. The prosecution also alleged £3,000 cash found at his flat was the proceeds from the sale of the drug. Davies was also convicted of permitting the premises to be used for the smoking of the drug. In passing sentence, the judge said Davies had persistently flouted the law. James McCrindell, for the defence, said: "This episode began out of a genuine belief on the part of Davies that it was appropriate to help others who were in difficult circumstances in relation to their medical condition." Source: BBC News (UK Web) Published: Thursday, October 3, 2002Copyright: 2002 BBC Website: http://news.bbc.co.uk/Contact: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/talking_point/Related Articles & Web Site:Dutch Experiencehttp://www.dutchexperience.org/Coffee Shop Man Guilty of Cannabis Charges http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14335.shtmlCannabis Cafe Owner Guilty - BBChttp://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/2292683.stmCannabis Cafe Had Medicinal Aimhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14217.shtml 
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Comment #5 posted by p4me on October 04, 2002 at 03:48:49 PT
Christian Science Monitor had MJ article yesterday
You may want to click on the link below a couple of times to register some hits from this site that shows people are interested in the subject. The article is titled "Canada poised to ease pot laws."On Monday, Prime Minister Chrétien signaled he may decriminalize possession of marijuana.By Eric Beaudan | Special to the Christian Science Monitor
http://www.csmonitor.com/2002/1003/p06s01-woam.htmlDAD-D,1,2
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Comment #4 posted by p4me on October 04, 2002 at 02:51:51 PT
Nol Van Schaik has Press Release 
PRESSMESSAGE : please help spread ???This is what Maruska made, as a small report of today's events. Can some people get this to their local press, let's hope it will raise a stink.-------------------------------Pressmessage.Stockport, October 3, 2002.Colin Davies’ brother Mark arrested during raid on cannabiscafe in Stockport !The GMP are out for the Davies clan, if that was not already clear after Colin Davies Sr. had been arrested for perjury, some time ago, he gave a false statement to protect his son.
Davies Sr. was arrested and held at the Stockport Police Station for 8 hours, charged with perjury, and released on bail. Earlier today, Colin Davies Jr., who bluntly opened the first ever cannabiscafe in the UK, on September 15, 2001, was sentenced to a total of 3 years imprisonment, for 6 charges he had been found guilty of yesterday, and for charges of possession with intent to supply, and perjury, both a result of Colins last arrest, in his flat, for breaking his bail-conditions. Colin pleaded guilty on both charges today, to avoid his father from being prosecuted for perjury, and to ensure a review of the case of Dutchman Bart Meekel, who was arrested during Colins last arrest, and is still in remand for that, since July 11!Colins supporters, the so-called DE-fenders, were gutted about the outcome of the trial, but were in and around the Dutch Experience cannabiscafe, as usual, after the trial.
The GMP raided the place around 16.00 hrs, the visitors were removed, nobody was arrested in possession of cannabis, they learn fast, but Dibbz and Coops, two veteran DE-fenders, were arrested for insulting the police officers. Not so smart, there were about 40 of them present, for a raid on a place that never caused any trouble to the community.
The police searched the place, as usual, and left after they were done, as usual. One of the DE-fenders managed to find a way back in, and the place came alive again, as usual. This time, the GMP came back, someone from the opposite gym, Outline, called the police in.
The DE-fenders were chased out again, except for one, the police surrounded the last person on the premises, Mark Davies, Colin Jr’s brother. He had no chance, he was just answering the call of nature, he was caught with his pants down, producing a smelly substance. He was arrested as a suspect of s(h)itting in a cannabiscafe, the smell gave him away…I hope the GMP do not spot Colins kids, skating on the road somewhere, they might be next in line for an arrest…..Mark Davies has not been released yet, the Davies family is in double jeopardy again ! Maruska de Blaauw.
Global Hempmuseum secretary.
Haarlem, Holland.
0031653666921DAD-D,1,2
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Comment #3 posted by p4me on October 03, 2002 at 12:40:39 PT
The 2 page thread at the DE will surely grow
The only information up so far about the raid that shut down the DE is in this thread- http://213.169.220.28/upload/showthread.php?s=&postid=18091#post18091. The first posting reads:------------------Just got word that the police emptied the DE, with force, Dibbz and Coops were taken, for protesting against that.
It seems the police mean business now, they are still at the place, keeping everybody away.
The coppers were right nasty, 50 of them, Jackson and more of the Special Colin Squad were there, probably enjoying themselves
a lot, wankers!!Is this the finale, or is it another bust..."-------------------------------------------There is a long thread regarding the conviction of Colin that tells of the other people's verdicts: http://213.169.220.28/upload/showthread.php?s=&threadid=3918&perpage=15&pagenumber=1One guy says it is time for a quite riot and several hope that the judge will recognize the 13 months that Colin has already spent in prison as enough fascist justice, with me using the word fascist.On the second page of that thread Cannabinol (Nol Van Schaik) writes the following.---------- Medical users...I can understand the outrage about this in medical users, I am outraged as a Mediweed supplier !!The Mediweed supply in Holland is done by coffeeshops, since 1997, (when cannabis was banned from pharmacies) who supply people with a prescription for cannabis, from their GP, for the buyers price. The Mediweed patients get no refund, so the coffeeshops supply them cheap, the cannabis in the pharmacies, allowed back in since last spring, costs 9 euro per gram no refund, and they have to buy 5 grams at once.
In the Mediweed connected coffeeshops, the Mediweedpatients can take a pick of the menu, and pay half the price, which comes down to 3- 5 euro's per gram, for them, they can buy a gram at a time, or 30 grams at a time, if they only come once a month.
We deliver or mail to those who can not go about, if needed.We joined the Mediweed system in1996, after Wernard introduced it in Holland, and we still supply our Mediweed-patients like this. This system shows that coffeeshops and Mediweed distribution go hand in hand, and that is what Colin had in mind for the MMCO and his Mediweed patients. 
The only difference is that we do it from a legal situation, with consent of our government, who do understand the need of sick people, and the positive effects cannabis can have on them.THe UK system just could not stand it that one individual was standing up against them, with succes, the Dutch Experience is still open, inspite of all criticism and attacks, the fire was removed, but the smoke kept on coming...The GMP has not done anything to really close the source of all evil, they just concentrated on ruining one man's life, Colin Davies' life, and when that did not really work, they went out to ruin his family, by arresting his father, for perjury !
Colin Sr. did what any father would do, he protected his on by twisting the truth, blood is thicker than water...Colin's family is suffering, by the custody of Colin Jr., and the threat of custody for Colin Sr., as you can imagine. The GMP does not give a shit, as long as it makes Colin Jr's life hell !!Guilty of helping to change a bad law on a good plant....No verdict yet....-------------------------------------------DAD-D,1,2
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Comment #2 posted by DdC on October 03, 2002 at 12:33:07 PT
Only a Pawn in Their Game
A bullet from the back of a bush took Medgar Evers' blood.
A finger fired the trigger to his name.
A handle hid out in the dark
A hand set the spark
Two eyes took the aim
Behind a man's brain
But he can't be blamed
He's only a pawn in their game.A South politician preaches to the poor white man,
"You got more than the blacks, don't complain.
You're better than them, you been born with white skin," they explain.
And the Negro's name Is used it is plain
For the politician's gain
As he rises to fame
And the poor white remains
On the caboose of the train
But it ain't him to blame
He's only a pawn in their game.The deputy sheriffs, the soldiers, the governors get paid,
And the marshals and cops get the same,
But the poor white man's used in the hands of them all like a tool.
He's taught in his school
From the start by the rule
That the laws are with him
To protect his white skin
To keep up his hate
So he never thinks straight
'Bout the shape that he's in
But it ain't him to blame
He's only a pawn in their game.From the poverty shacks, he looks from the cracks to the tracks,
And the hoof beats pound in his brain.
And he's taught how to walk in a pack
Shoot in the back
With his fist in a clinch
To hang and to lynch
To hide 'neath the hood
To kill with no pain
Like a dog on a chain
He ain't got no name
But it ain't him to blame
He's only a pawn in their game.Today, Medgar Evers was buried from the bullet he caught.
They lowered him down as a king.
But when the shadowy sun sets on the one
That fired the gun
He'll see by his grave
On the stone that remains
Carved next to his name
His epitaph plain: Only a pawn in their game.Escape
http://www.cannabinoid.com/boards/politics/media/36/36547.gif
                   
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Comment #1 posted by Dark Star on October 03, 2002 at 11:57:26 PT
A Shame
This is a shame. Well meaning people are being jailed to no possible gain. The Brits will need to decide what is fair and reasonable.
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