A drug dealer caught with thousands of pounds of cannabis at his home has walked free from court.
Police went to Daren Walker's home in March 2020 about an unrelated motoring matter and discovered a cannabis growing tent and evidence a crop had been recently harvested. There was also more than £1,000 cash in a Celebrations tub.
Further searching revealed a carrier bag containing 994g of skunk cannabis split into in 26 packages and 77.9g of cannabis shatter, divided into 81 deals. Newcastle Crown Court heard the drugs were worth between £9,000 and £13,500 and there was also evidence of dealing in messages found on Walker's "burner" phone.
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The 33-year-old, of Forth Court, South Shields, who has 17 previous convictions, including for producing cannabis in 2019, pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing cannabis with intent to supply.
Vic Laffey, defending, said: "There has been a huge change in this young man's lifestyle and his personal circumstances since he was arrested more than two-and-a-half years ago. He has a little girl who has very significant health problems.
"It would be catastrophic if he lost his liberty because his girlfriend would then have to stop working. The little girl relies on him every day."
Recorder Nathan Adams sentenced Walker to 12 months suspended for 18 months with rehabilitation and warned him that even being caught with a small amount of cannabis would place him in breach of the sentence and may result in him being sent to prison.
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