January 18, 2026
R v Maginnis [1987] UKHL 4
The defendant was found with cannabis left in his car by a friend, intending to return it when collected. The House of Lords held that returning drugs to a depositor constitutes 'supply' under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, as it enables the depositor to use the drugs for their own purposes. Facts The respondent, Patrick Terrance Maginnis, was found in possession of 227 grammes of cannabis resin worth approximately £500 in his car. He stated to police that the package had been left by a friend the previous evening and that he expected the friend to collect it. He
