'Sell push bike, go on the rob, sell weed, get a job', aspirational illegal drugs rep gets caught after police find his 'to do' list

Dear All

Aspiration is a word that politicians band about continuously as they seek the aspiration voter.

In place of lack of policies or commitment they talk about a better tomorrow when they don’t have ideas about how to improve today.

The stuff of dreams is like a rubbery dagger, very hard to penetrate the intended target.

Unemployed Thomas Franks is aspirational, single handedly forging a career in the pharmaceutical industry, only one problem as a ‘drugs rep’ his product was illegal.

The teenager has been arrested for drug-dealing after police found a hand-written 'to-do' list in his pocket which read:

'Go on the rob, sell weed'.

Classic multitasking combined with setting goals, time management, blue sky thinking and strategic planning.

His ‘to do’ was read out in court as follows:

'Sell push bike, go on the rob, sell weed, get a job.'

However his career is now on hold as Crawley Magistrates Court is dealing with his 21gms of cannabis found in his possession.

The court also heard that Franks needed to motivate himself to make money to get his PlayStation repaired.

Perhaps he should add to the list of ‘to do’, get a financial plan.

Iain Starke, his lawyer defending said Franks had learning difficulties, maybe a jolt in the right direction could turn him round as he seems to be in a desperate situation.

He told the court:

“Although my client disputes the weight of the cannabis found by police he was very co-operative when questioned and fully admitted he was supplying the drug. He has been affected by the recent split-up of his parent's marriage. He lives with his disabled father and frequently takes his younger brother and sister to and from school.”

So, what to do?

I don’t think prison is the answer in this case and would be of little benefit, perhaps some community service and career guidance heading towards a college course might be an suitable alternative.

When the Police seem sympathetic, a source said:

“To be honest everyone felt a little bit sorry for him”.

Magistrates have bailed Franks until probation and medical reports are prepared, he will be sentenced on June 28.

In this case, I would hope they might air on giving him a second chance to make the right choices instead of continual wrong ones.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University