A drug dealer caught in an undercover city centre police sting has been jailed after a judge said those who peddle narcotics are a "scourge of our community".
Josemar Fernando became involved in selling cocaine and other drugs after racking up debts to dealers higher up the chain. A court heard he had his hand broken by "Mr X" and was intimidated into continuing his illegal activity.
Prosecutor Neil Pallister told Newcastle Crown Court: "The offences came to light after an increase in the supply of drugs in Newcastle city centre, which concerned police enough to send an undercover officer, known as Gaz. While he was working as an undercover officer, he established a relationship with the defendant."
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On January 21 and January 28 2021, Fernando supplied £50 cocaine deals and on February 4 he sold the officer another £50 cocaine deal and a MDMA tablet for £30. On February 23, police searched his home and found six small bags of cannabis, along with phone evidence showing he had been dealing. More than £1,400 in cash was also seized.
A further search on August 11 found 19 wraps of cocaine, worth around £950, seven ketamine deals worth £245 and three bags of cannabis worth £60.
The court heard Fernando has 20 previous convictions, including for drugs offences committed in 2018, for which he got a 22 month suspended sentence last June. He was on court bail for those offences at the time of the latest drug dealing.
Mr Pallister said: "In the pre-sentence report he accepts he had built up a large drug debt and was dealing drugs to pay off the debt."
Fernando, 34, of Pont Street, Ashington, Northumberland, admitted three offences of supplying cocaine, possessing cocaine, ketamine and cannabis with intent to supply and supplying MDMA. Recorder Tahir Khan KC jailed him for three years and said: "Class A drugs, in particular, are the scourge of our community and so much of the crime that's committed is directly attributable to involvement in drug dealing.
"You were indebted to a drug dealer and drug dealers are not pleasant people. I have no hesitation in accepting there was an element of intimidation behind your decision to get involved in these offences.
"I accept you had your hand broken, that's just the kind of thing drug dealers do to get people to fall in line."
Ian Hudson, defending, said: "Even though he knows he is going on the prison wagon to Durham, it's a positive pre-sentence report. I may even go as far as to say it's a glowing report.
"I can't think of anything less sophisticated than putting drug dealing on the internet, on WhatsApp. In 2018 he got his hand broken by the drug dealer, Mr X, who he can't name. There was intimidation from Mr X and he tells me he was scared witless."
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