Wirral chip shop owner jailed for dealing drugs after being caught with photos on own mobile phone

Mar 10 2010 by Ben Rossington, Bromborough and Bebington News

The mobile phone photos, Miss Whyte said, showed this was not the first time Kocabey had been involved with drugs.

David Maudsley, defending, said that prior to falling into debt, Kocabey was “a hard working man trying to make a decent living”.

But, he added, his “ashamed” client had been “stupid” and “weak” and “could have and should have said no”.

Mr Recorder David Turner QC said: “The photos were very stupid things to do but people who commit this type of offence are sometimes very arrogant. You were clearly very happy to be photographed with all that wealth around you.”

Sentencing Kocabey to 12 years for conspiring to supply Class A drugs and five years, to run at the same time, for being involved in the production of cannabis, the judge said: “You came here as an asylum seeker 10 years ago. You were naturalised in June 2008 as a British citizen.

“You have repaid the hospitality of this country by becoming involved very substantially in the drugs trade.

“You have made your way, thanks to the generosity of this country, to become the owner of a fish and chip shop.

“Fortunately, the police and Customs through good work managed to intercept a consignment of Class A drugs being imported and which was to be delivered to you.

“You were not a foot soldier. You were a senior officer in this.”