A dirty car registration plate landed a man with a suspended jail term - but it wasn't for the grimy number.
Police stopped Sam Wells when they spotted him in his car in Weston-super-Mare in the early hours. When they spoke to him they could smell cannabis and they found a quantity of the Class B drug before Wells showed them eight bags of Class A cocaine.
Wells, 28, of Bruton, Monkton Avenue, Weston-super-Mare, pleaded guilty to possessing a Class A drug with intent to supply and possessing a Class B drug on December 12 last year. The recorder Mr Llewellyn Sellick handed him a two-year jail term suspended for two years.
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The judge told Wells: "You were desperate for money for your wife and two children. You became a delivery man for cocaine. You were given a postcode and you delivered the drugs. You were sometimes paid cannabis in lieu of cash."
The court heard Wells' benefit from crime was deemed to be £920 and the judge confiscated an available £595. Drugs found in the case were destroyed.
Caitlin Evans, prosecuting, told Bristol Crown Court police found 0.6g of cannabis in Wells' car and £80 cash on him. Wells surrendered eight bags of cocaine with a street value put at £320.
Police then searched Wells' home and found vegetable matter, a cannabis grinder and £516 cash. His phone was analysed and was said to contain messages relating to drug dealing.
When interviewed Wells answered no comment to all questions. He made a prepared statement saying he had planned to stop his involvement in the drugs trade, and had only got involved for money.
Lucy Taylor, defending, said her client had suffered significant medical issues since he was a child. She said if sentenced to immediate custody her client would be unable to support his family.
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