A DRUG courier who ferried 20kg of heroin from Bradford to Doncaster has been jailed for seven and a half years.
Kevin Gowthorpe, 32, of Larwood Drive, Ravenscliffe, Bradford, was yesterday convicted by a jury at Bradford Crown Court of conspiracy to supply class A drugs.
Judge Peter Benson told him: “I don’t accept your role is categorised as just a courier. It seems to me you had a greater involvement and were higher up the chain. You played a significant role.”
The court heard that Gowthorpe was imprisoned for six years in 2006 for conspiracy to burgle and conspiracy to handle stolen goods. He was jailed for four and half years in 2009 for house burglary and aggravated vehicle taking, with a further 14 months for conspiracy to burgle.
During the trial, prosecutor Timothy Capstick said Gowthorpe travelled to Doncaster on May 30, 2014, to meet a man called David Tracey, who he had spoken to six times on the phone that day.
The pair met for about a minute before Gowthorpe left in his white Volkswagen Golf.
The jury was told that within 30 minutes of the meeting, Tracey was arrested at his home on Clearwell Croft, Doncaster, with more than 19kg of heroin in the boot of his car.