A former soldier who ferried £800,000 of cocaine to pay back a debt after being caught in a large bootleg cigarette scam has been spared jail. Timothy Shaw, a Falklands and Northern Ireland veteran, was caught by police in June 2025 and later told by a judge that a jail sentence was "certainly appropriate".
The 64-year-old from Motherwell was stopped in a Volvo on the A74(M) near Ecclefechan and 10 blocks of high purity cocaine were found in the boot. At the High Court in Glasgow, Lord Scott instead imposed 300 hours of unpaid work and supervision for a year.
What sentence did the court impose?
Lord Scott told Shaw a prison term was "certainly appropriate" but opted for a community penalty after hearing about the circumstances of the case. Shaw will carry out 300 hours of unpaid work and be supervised for a year.
"certainly appropriate"
Lord Scott said:
"It is an unfortunate, but unavoidable conclusion that whatever pressures you felt, it was your decisions that have put you in the position of facing a custodial sentence again.
He added:
"Having heard about you and the whole circumstances, I am prepared to take the unusual decision of stepping back from imposing a sentence of imprisonment.
He continued:
"I am proposing to impose a community payback order on you."
Shaw was warned that if he breached the order he would return to court.
What was Shaw accused of?
He had earlier pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of the class A drug as a courier on a single day. The court previously heard that when he was halted by police in southern Scotland, he admitted:
"I have 10 bits in the boot."
He claimed to have met an unknown man at a service station who put the boxes into the car. A man was said to have initially contacted Shaw on WhatsApp and told him to go to England.
When asked what the blocks were, Shaw said he did not know, but added
"cocaine or something like that"
What background did the court hear?
Prosecutor Michael MacIntosh told the court:
"He declined to say who he was instructed by as he was fearful for his safety.
"He was involved to pay back a debt after being stopped bringing cigarettes into the country without paying tax."
Shaw had previously been jailed for 21 months in Kent in 2012 for his role in helping to organise shipments of millions of counterfeit cigarettes in HGVs disguised to make it look like the trucks were carrying frozen food.
Taylor Muir, defending, said a pre-sentencing background report had been prepared on Shaw. He was deemed to be a low risk of re-offending. A number of written testimonials in support of Shaw were also given for Lord Scott to consider.
What else was said about the case?
Shaw was stopped on the A74(M) near Ecclefechan last year, and the court heard he had been caught in June 2025. The judge's comments came after considering the evidence, Shaw's plea, and the circumstances of his previous offending.
Key Facts
- Timothy Shaw, 64, from Motherwell, was stopped in a Volvo on the A74(M) near Ecclefechan.
- Police found 10 blocks of high purity cocaine in the boot.
- Lord Scott sentenced Shaw to 300 hours of unpaid work and one year of supervision.
- Shaw had previously been jailed for 21 months in 2012 in Kent for counterfeit cigarette offences.
- He pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of class A drugs as a courier on a single day.
