Drug courier accused of perjury

Gregory Eyre, a drug courier currently serving a 15-year-prison term, this morning pleaded not guilty to having given false evidence before a court during the trial of Mark Stevens earlier this week.

Mr Stevens had been accused of importing drugs and was subsequently convicted and jailed for 25 years.

Mr Eyre was accused of having given false evidence, taking a false oath and relapsing.

During the proceedings against Mr Stevens, Mr Eyre had testified in the Magistrates' Court that Mr Stevens had given him the drugs, but in the trial by jury he testified that it was not Mr Stevens who had given him the drugs but another man, Andrew Woodhouse, who was also known as Mark Stevens.

In separate cases, Genoroso Barbara, 29 of Zejtun was this morning jailed for 18 months after admitting to trafficking heroin and relapsing. He was also fined €600.

Two Sicilians also admitted before a court to having been in possession of heroin which was not for their consumption and having stolen a handbag belonging to an English lady.

They were given a two-year jail term suspended for four years.