Blind British Justice
The Crown Prosecution Service’s decision to drop charges against Hans and Eva Rausing for possession of cocaine, crack, cannabis and heroin is shocking and makes a mockery of the British judicial system.
Were Hans Rausing not the heir to a £5.4 billion fortune it is highly unlikely that he would be let off with merely a caution and not even receive a criminal record for being in possession of over £2,500 worth of cocaine.
The charges arose after Eva Rausing was arrested for attempting to smuggle cocaine and heroin into a reception party at the American Embassy. A subsequent search of the couples £5 million, Chelsea home unearthed the drugs cache.
The audacity of attempting to bring drugs into the American Embassy should have warranted a prison sentence in itself, but the CPS thought otherwise and determined that a caution fit the offence. Sir Ian Blair, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, later commented: 'I do find that result extremely surprising and it reminds me of the 19th century legal comment often attributed to Sir James Mathew, 'in England justice is open to all - just like the Ritz.'
Further details surrounding the case remains a mystery. Where did the couple purchase such a quantity of cocaine? Did they cooperate with the police and reveal the identity of their supplier? I am convinced they didn’t purchase their stash from some dimunitive character stood on the corner of Coldharbour Lane. So where did the Rausings’ purchase their drugs and are the authorities vigorously pursuing the source?
The CPS decision not to prosecute is shameful and a disgrace to all of those who work to sustain an unimpeachable legal system that administers justice irrespective of one's race, colour, religion, wealth or social status. I can just imagine the thoughts of those woeful addicts currently resident at Her Majesty's prisons who committed much lesser crimes and were caught in possession of a much lesser quantity of Class A drugs. "The scales of British justice are truly corrupt."
