Police donate seized car to Plymouth hospice

A car seized from a convicted drug dealer will be put to good use after Devon and Cornwall Police came to the aid of a Plymouth hospice for the terminally ill.

Staff at St Luke's Hospice recently issued the plea after a local car dealer was unable to continue its support.

Luckily for St Luke’s, the plea found its way to the desk of Detective Sergeant Mark Newnham, from the Force’s financial investigation unit, and he knew exactly how the Force could help.

In November 2011 officers arrested two men who were involved in bringing over £300,000 worth of skunk cannabis into the city.

During and after the arrest, in Leigham, officers recovered seven kilos of skunk with a street value of £70,000, around £90,000 cash and also seized an almost new Volkswagen Sharan people carrier.

The men, Michael Doyle, of Bigbury Walk, Leigham, and Princely Kudothore, of Hounslow, Middlesex, pleaded guilty to supplying class B drugs at Plymouth Crown Court and were jailed for 40 months and 27 months respectively.

The judge also told the police to dispose of Kudothore’s VW Sharan in whatever way they saw fit.

“We have had the car in storage for some time while we decided what to do with it,” said DS Newnham.

“We did think about using it as an office vehicle and putting the words ‘Crime Doesn’t Pay – this vehicle was seized from a convicted drugs dealer’ on the side.

“This car was being used by people intent on bringing misery and crime to so many people in Plymouth. So the fact that it will now go to the aid of a group giving unquestioning support to people when they need it most is very satisfying. It seems like the right thing to do.”

Robert Parsons, director of income generation and communications for St Luke’s, said: “I’d like to thank Detective Sergeant Mark Newnham, and all at Devon and Cornwall Police for their support.

“This donation will enable us to continue to visit our fundraisers throughout the city and carry equipment to events, helping to raise vital income that allows us to continue to provide free end of life care to people who need us most from across Plymouth, south west Devon and east Cornwall.

“We hope that many people will see us out and about in this car, reinforcing the kindness of Devon and Cornwall police. This donation will enable us to save money year on year through the use of a car free of charge to St Luke’s. Without the support of the local community through donations such as this we wouldn’t be able to provide our services,

“It costs St Luke’s £6m every year to keep caring for our patients, and with only 32 per cent funding received from the government we must raise £4.5m each and every year from the local community, it is thanks to kindness and generosity from the people of Plymouth and the surrounding areas that we are able to continue our vital work.”

Richard Willman, from Murray Volkswagen, who have prepared and serviced the car for free following its period in storage said: “It’s fantastic to see a vehicle of this quality going to such a deserving cause, we were more than happy to help by ensuring the car was delivered to St Lukes in the best condition possible.”

Detective Sergeant Mark Newnham handed over the keys to the car to Robert Parsons at St Luke's Hospice at 1.30pm on Tuesday 27 March.