Drug dealer jailed

A drug dealer from Wolverhampton has been locked up after hundreds of pounds worth of cocaine and ecstasy were found in a safe at his house.

Police swooped on the home of Ricky Shaw and found Class A drugs and cannabis worth almost £500. The drugs, which included 95 ecstasy tablets, were hidden in a safe at the 20-year-old’s house in Batmans Hill Road, Bradley, Wolverhampton Crown Court heard. Officers also found drugs paraphernalia, cash and a list of the names of drug dealers.

Shaw pleaded guilty to three charges of possession with intent to supply at an earlier hearing.

Mr Julian Elcock, prosecuting, said the key to the safe had been found among Shaw’s possessions after he had been arrested over an unrelated offence.

“A search of the bedroom revealed a number of bags of white powder and herbal cannabis,” he said.

“A safe was also seized by the police.”

He said the safe contained cannabis valued at £115, cocaine valued at £120 and £237 worth of ecstasy.

Mr Elcock added Shaw said he was holding the drugs for another man and had visited people to collect money from them without knowing what the cash was for.

Mr Oliver Woolhouse, defending, said Shaw was “at the bottom rung” of the supply chain and added that only a relatively small quantity of drugs had been found.

He said he accepted going out and collecting money and what the lists of names were for.

Sentencing, Judge Michael Challinor said he had given Shaw credit for his early guilty plea.

“These are serious offences and usually attract years in custody even for those who plead guilty,” he said.

“But I’ve sentenced you on the basis you are a low level dealer.”

Shaw was ordered to serve two years in custody for each of the Class A offences and nine months for the cannabis offence. The sentences will run concurrently.