Pubdate: Sat, 03 Apr 2004
Source: Scotsman (UK)
Copyright: The Scotsman Publications Ltd 2004
Contact:  http://www.scotsman.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/406
Author: Ian Johnston

CAFE OWNER PLEADS NOT GUILTY TO DRUGS CHARGE

THE man behind Scotland's first cannabis cafe yesterday pleaded not guilty 
to a charge of allowing customers to smoke the drug on the day it opened.

Paul Stewart, who runs the Purple Haze cafe in Leith, was raided by police 
on 29 January - the first night of his "private members' club" and the day 
when cannabis was downgraded from a class B drug to class C.

He was arrested along with two other people, who were charged with 
possession of cannabis after allegedly using the drug on the premises, but 
the Crown Office has decided not to press charges against them.

Stewart, 37, who lives in Leith, said he received e-mails of support from 
across the world when he opened the cannabis cafe at Purple Haze, a former 
'greasy spoon' turned internet cafe.

A not guilty plea was entered on Stewart's behalf at yesterday's hearing at 
Edinburgh Sheriff Court and the case was adjourned for trial on 28 July. If 
found guilty, he could be jailed for up to three months or fined a maximum 
of UKP2,500.

Stewart said: "Obviously I don't want to say too much. They'll just have to 
prove I knew people were smoking cannabis. People were told not to use 
cannabis when they came in. The good thing about Scotland is the 'not 
proven ' verdict so obviously I'll be trying to go for that."

He added that he thought it was odd he was being prosecuted for allegedly 
allowing people to smoke cannabis on his premises when the smokers were not 
being taken to court.

"You would think if they were going to charge me with knowingly allowing 
people to smoke cannabis, surely they would have to convict someone of 
smoking cannabis," Stewart said. "If the police have made any mistake in 
their procedures as well, the lawyer would have to look at that."

Stewart added he was planning a new business venture this summer called 
Purple Paul's World Tour of Scotland, which will begin at the cafe before 
heading up the Highlands.

"It's a five-day adventure tour with white water rafting, a high ropes 
course, going up the Cairngorms, a sea life tour to spot whales and 
dolphins off John O'Groats, going for walks and staying in a bothy.

"We're having a midnight beach party at a secret location in the Highlands. 
It's a magical mystery tour and you won't know where until you get there.

Aamer Anwar, Stewart's lawyer, said: "It is bizarre that on the day 
something is being reclassified that Lothian and Borders Police didn't have 
better things to do. A time will come when individuals like Mr Stewart will 
not be brought before the court."

A spokesman for the Crown Office confirmed the other people arrested at the 
opening of the cannabis cafe part of the Purple Haze business were not 
being prosecuted.

He said: "The Crown has decided to take no proceedings against those two 
individuals so they will not be appearing alongside Paul Stewart."

Alistair Ramsay, of Scotland Against Drugs, said anyone found guilty of 
deliberately flouting the law by running a cannabis cafe should receive an 
effective punishment and possibly be jailed.

"If someone is found guilty of allowing cannabis to be smoked on their 
premises, I do hope when sentenced it would not just a finger-wagging 
exercise," he said. "I would hope there would be a penalty attached, 
community service or something that reflects the crime because the law has 
been broken." 
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