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At last! Vasey is freed from French prison
Page 12
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Owner-driver John Vasey is coming home after 15 months in a French jail. Jennifer Ball reports.
JOHN VASEY, the British ownerdriver jailed in France for allegedly smuggling £2.5m has finally been released (CM 6 May) after 15 months in jail waiting for a trial. The former fireman was stunned last week when three judges freed
him on payment of a £3,200 fine: "It's fantastic to be back. I had consigned myself to the fact that I would be in prison for another five years because in France it's guilty until proven innocent. "When the judge gave his verdict
I lost 20 minutes of my life because I was so overwhelmed. The phone has not stopped ringing with people welcoming me home and with offers of work. But I am not making any plans — I just want to spend some time with my family."
Vasey, owner of Houghton Le-Spring-based JD Vasey Transport, was arrested in Perpignan on 28 February 2003 on his way back from Spain when Customs found cannabis resin in his load of shrink-wrapped pallets.