CANNABIS CHOCS TRIO TAKE CASE TO APPEAL

THE Cumbrian couple who supplied cannabis chocolate to 1,600
multiple sclerosis sufferers are appealing against their conviction
for conspiring to supply the drug.

Mark and Lezley Gibson, both from Alston, have put the wheels in
motion - along with their co-defendant Marcus Davies - even though
they won't be sentenced until later this month.

Lezley, an MS sufferer herself, said last night: "Our legal team has
told us that we only have 28 days after conviction to seek leave to
appeal to the Court of Appeal. So we have done that. Our appeal will
be based on the judge's summing up of the case."

The Gibsons and Davies were all found guilty of two counts of
conspiring to supply the class C drug at Carlisle Crown Court last
month, when Judge John Phillips adjourned sentencing until January
26.

Throughout the trial the three defendants argued that their sole
purpose was to help people with MS by alleviating their symptoms - but
during his summing up the judge told the jury a recent Appeal Court
ruling had made it clear that no defendant could now rely in law on
medical necessity as a defence.

The trial heard how the Gibsons, helped by Davies, created a cottage
industry supplying cannabis-laced chocolate bars from their home in
Front Street.

At its height the operation saw the couple posting off up to 150
Canna-Biz bars a week, supplying two per cent of the country's
population of MS sufferers. The bars were sent out free of charge, but
only to those who could prove they had MS by supplying a medical
certificate or doctor's note.

The operation ceased with the trial and Lezley Gibson said: "The real
tragedy is that hundreds of people are now having to go out and find
street dealers in cannabis. And we believe that much of what they are
buying has been contaminated which is actually putting their health at
risk.

"It is amazing how much support there has been for us in the town. And
some people have even travelled specially to our shop to wish us well."

Mark Gibson, who was the prime maker of the cannabis chocolate, said:
"I don't think the jury wanted to convict us - when they came back
with the verdict their heads were bowed.

"My ambition now is to smash this ridiculous law, which seems to
over-ride the human rights of people.

"In a way the fact we have had to stop making the chocolate gives me
more time to do that."