Addict caught red-handed trying to pay of drug debts with heroin and cocaine
An addict trying to pay off a drug debt to his dealer was caught red-handed selling heroin and cocaine, a judge heard.
Mark While locked the doors of the Fiat Punto he was driving in a vain attempt to stop police discovering what he was doing when officers surrounded the stationary vehicle in Tiled House Lane, Pensnett, Wolverhampton Crown Court was told.
The 40-year-old appeared to be about to drive off while trying to hide something inside the car - and so an officer smashed the driver's side window with a baton and grabbed the ignition key, explained Miss Saleem Mahmood, prosecuting.
Searches of the grey Punto and an address linked to the defendant unearthed a total of £1,930 worth of heroin and cocaine wrapped up into 193 street deals, it was revealed. They also discovered two mobile phones - one for incoming drug deals and the other for outgoing calls, While explained later.
The defendant continued: "I have been addicted to heroin and owed my dealer £3,000. He gave me drugs to hold for him as a custodian and within hours of putting them in my car it was stolen.
"The dealer beat me up, said I now owed him £4,950, gave me a car and told me to hold the drugs and drive to those who wanted to buy them. My job was to hold the drugs and drive and I agreed to act in that way to pay off my debt. I had been doing it for a week before I was arrested."
Mr Benjamin Close, defending, added: "He was acting out of coercion and threats of violence and has now moved to Wales. You can read between the lines as to why he has gone away to start afresh."
While, who previously lived in Maria Street, West Bromwich, had also given up drugs since being caught dealing on November 19 2014(corr), the court was told.
Close admitted possession of both heroin and cocaine with intent to supply and was jailed for 16 months by Judge Kristina Montgomery QC who told him: "You did almost everything you could to stop the police from discovering what you were up to. You were dealing drugs at the behest of somebody else to whom you owed money."
