A father and son from the Midlands have been imprisoned after attempting to bring nearly £900,000 worth of cannabis into Scotland through Glasgow Airport. Stephen Harding, aged 67, and Bradley Harding, aged 37, both from Tamworth in Staffordshire, were apprehended by Border Force officials on 23 November 2024 as they arrived from Thailand carrying four suitcases containing the drug.
During examination of their luggage at the airport, Stephen was questioned about the contents of his cases. When asked directly if he knew what he was carrying, he acknowledged:
I have a good idea.
The High Court in Glasgow was informed that the cases held dozens of vacuum-sealed packages of green herbal cannabis material. Prosecutor Jennifer Nicholson-White presented evidence that the total potential street value of the seized drugs exceeded £903,000.
Both men entered guilty pleas to being concerned in the supply of cannabis. The court heard conflicting explanations for their involvement in the smuggling operation. One account suggested they had been threatened by loan sharks demanding repayment of a debt, while an alternative version indicated they had been promised £10,000 to transport the drugs.
Lord Scott, presiding over the case, noted that Stephen's background made his criminal conduct particularly troubling. The judge observed that Stephen had served in the military for 14 years, remarking that
which made it all the more sadhe now stood before the High Court facing serious drug trafficking charges.
Stephen received a custodial sentence, while Bradley was sentenced to three years and two months in prison. However, Bradley's sentence will run concurrently with an existing jail term for a violence offence that he is serving in England. As a result of this concurrent arrangement, he is not expected to be released until 2028, meaning he will serve no additional time beyond his current English sentence.
This case reflects an ongoing pattern of drug smuggling attempts through Scottish airports and borders. In a related development, a fugitive was jailed for five years and 10 months over a £14m drugs and money laundering operation after being arrested at Glasgow Airport when returning from the United Arab Emirates. Additionally, another individual received a sentence exceeding three years for transporting £300,000 worth of cocaine in Glasgow, having worked with a dealer whose activities were subject to police surveillance.
Key Facts
- Stephen Harding, 67, and Bradley Harding, 37, were stopped at Glasgow Airport on 23 November 2024 with cannabis valued at over £903,000
- The pair had travelled from Thailand with four cases containing dozens of vacuum-sealed packages of the drug
- Both pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of cannabis
- Bradley's three-year-two-month sentence runs alongside an existing violence conviction in England, with no additional prison time expected beyond 2028
- Stephen's 14-year military service was cited by the judge as making his criminal conduct particularly regrettable
