The Defence case
20.The Defence case was that the Applicant was not part of any criminal organisation and he had no knowledge of the drugs found in the “3MX” lorry.21.We have touched on some of his evidence at the re-trial already. It is not necessary to provide an exhaustive summary, but it included the following additional points. He said that he worked as a mechanic and lorry driver within the world of motorcycle racing. Once a race had finished it was a case of everybody helping out to get the vehicles packed up so that they could leave to travel back from wherever they were. He said he had no involvement in unloading the lorries once they were back in the UK.22.The Applicant gave evidence that he became involved in tobacco smuggling after he had started working for Paul Bird. He said it was Gary Matthews who had suggested that he get involved. He said that he did help load "B9RDY" at Assen. At the end of the racing both trucks were packed up on the Sunday night so on Monday they would get an early start. He said he had no idea that there were drugs in “B9RDY”. He accepted that the drugs must have been placed by someone connected with the team, and he believed that it was Gary Matthews and Paul Bird. When smuggling tobacco for Paul Bird, he said there would be five or six holdalls that would be put in the sleeping area of his truck and driven to Penrith. He said that there was a separate tobacco smuggling operation with Guy Mitchell and the R-man. They would source tobacco and he would simply be the transport. He denied having made a confession of smuggling in 2010 to Mr Buckmaster.