When a man convicted of selling cannabis sweets came for sentence at Bristol Crown Court he had a "grim fatality" about what would happen to him. But instead of jail a judge gave him a chance to stay out of trouble and turn his life around.
It turned out Judge William Hart remembered sending Kyron Coombs to prison for two years in 2018. This time he told Coombs he would give him a chance to stay out, on the strict understanding that prison it would be if he reoffended.
Coombs, 23, of Whitefield Road, Speedwell, pleaded guilty to possessing cannabis as well as a psychoactive substance with intent to supply. He also admitted dangerous driving without a proper licence or insurance.
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Judge Hart handed him 20 months prison, suspended for two years. He told him: "We meet again. I'm going to give you a chance today, if you fail to take it it will be activated in full." Coombs was handed 120 hours of unpaid work. He was also ordered to undergo 30 days of rehabilitation.
Caitlin Evans, prosecuting, said police who raided a home found quantities of cannabis sweets as well as Spice infused vapes. Forensic examination of a mobile phone revealed drug-related messages, the court heard.
Coombs accepted producing cannabis sweets. But he told police they were for his own use and denied selling them.
The court heard it was in February last year when police tried to stop Coombs driving a Ford Fiesta in Thicket Avenue, Hillfields. Instead of stopping when asked, Coombs continued on his way, clipped a kerb and deflated a tyre. Instead of stopping he carried on and drove down a track, causing people to jump out of his way.
After a total pursuit of 1.6km he stopped the car, ran off but was arrested after a short foot chase. He made full admissions about the dangerous driving.
Nate Toms, defending, said his client had a difficult early life and was groomed into drug dealing as a teenager and jailed. When released he was in debt to dealers and was threatened into drug supply.
Mr Toms said his client had found eating cannabis more effective than smoking it. Mr Toms told the court: "He learned how to make edible sweets online. It blossomed into his own franchise."
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