January 27, 2010
Cannabis Dealer Gets 15 Months
A drug dealer has been sentenced to 15 months in prison after being found in possession of £1,500 of cannabis.
Matthew Austin, of Falcon Close, Dunstable, appeared for sentencing at Luton Crown Court on Wednesday 27 January having pleaded guilty to possessing cannabis with intent to supply and possession of cannabis. A Proceeds of Crime hearing against Austin was also set for 29 April this year.
The court heard the 22-year-old was caught by a Special Constable Simon Greenland who had been called out to a shoplifting incident in Bedford Square, Houghton Regis, on 30 June last year.
Prosecutor Daniel Higgins said he saw Austin standing on a corner by the shops and when he approached him SPC Greenland could smell cannabis. Austin, who had not been involved in the shoplifting, tried to run away, but was arrested.
Austin's rucksack was searched and ten small bags of cannabis were found and in a larger amount of strong skunk cannabis in a heat-sealed bag. The drugs weighed 270.5g, with a street value of around £1,500. In his wallet £1,160 was found in cash.
Officers then searched Austin's home and found a grinder, mobile phones and a sim card used by the dealer. A locksmith was called to open a safe in his bedroom which was found to contain £1,000 in cash.
Austin was in breach of a 52 week suspended sentence that had been imposed for 18 months on 30 March 2008 for possessing cannabis with intent to supply.
Steven Garratt, defending, said: "He has had a long standing cannabis addiction and has been supplying cannabis to fund his own habit and his course at college."
He said Austin was not a "sophisticated" drug dealer and had been under the influence of alcohol at the time of his arrest. He described him as a "vulnerable man" who suffers from panic attacks.
Judge Michael Kay QC told him: "You have shown no remorse and no understanding of the effect drug dealing has on other people. Apart from the medical problems it also leads to a great deal of other crime. You are part of that industry.
"I acknowledge you are not a drugs baron. You are a street dealer, a retail trader of cannabis. What is depressing about this offence is that you have learnt nothing from the earlier sentence."
