British national on cocaine charges gets January 15 court date
by Christopher Thomas/Gleaner Writer · The GleanerWESTERN BUREAU:
British national Rachael Quayle, who was allegedly caught with cocaine valued at J$45 million stashed in assorted food items at the Sangster International Airport (SIA) in Montego Bay on August 21, is to stand trial in the St James Parish Court on January 15 next year.
Quayle, who is being represented by attorney Precilla Jennings, received the trial date and had her bail extended by presiding parish judge Natiesha Fairclough-Hylton when she appeared in court yesterday. The defendant’s lawyer was not present at court during the brief hearing of the matter.
The court was told that the prosecution’s case file is now complete and ready for trial following the addition of an outstanding forensic report. The file’s documents are to be provided to Jennings ahead of the trial date.
The allegations against Quayle are that on August 21, she checked in at the SIA and was preparing to board a flight to the United Kingdom (UK) when her luggage was searched.
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During the inspection, several food items in Quayle’s luggage were searched and found to contain cocaine weighing 21 pounds. She claimed that she was given the items and did not think anything was amiss as the packages were sealed. She was subsequently arrested and charged with possession of, dealing in, and attempting to export cocaine.
Quayle is one of 27 foreign nationals who were arrested at the airport between January and September this year for breaches of the Dangerous Drugs Act. That number, which was revealed by the Jamaica Constabulary Force, includes mostly visitors from the UK.
Last year, several British nationals were convicted for drug smuggling. Among them were Loran Bartley and Luke Bradly, who were both sentenced to 10 months’ imprisonment on May 19, 2023, and David Thomas, who was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment for trying to smuggle 16 pounds of cocaine on May 3 last year.
In one of the more recent cases, Teraiya Stapleton and Genevieve Sanoussi were allegedly held at the airport on October 20 with more than five pounds of cocaine hidden inside several pairs of footwear. They are to return to court on December 18.
Cocaine cases involving both foreigners and locals have featured prominently in the St James Parish Court over the years, to the extent that concerns have been raised about St James becoming a flashpoint for drug trafficking. In May 2023 alone, eight defendants, seven of whom were British nationals, were taken before the court in relation to a combined $100 million worth of cocaine.