A dad-of-two spotted acting suspiciously was found to be a cannabis dealer with almost £13,000 of drugs at his home.
Darren Jones had previously been given a suspended jail sentence for supplying cannabis, a court heard today. Chris Taylor, prosecuting, told Liverpool Crown Court at 5pm on October 21 last year, police officers saw the defendant leaving an address in Southport.
Mr Taylor said: “He then appeared to rush to another address and was banging at the door and then entered it. A matter of seconds later he left the address and his behaviour was such that it gave the officers cause for suspicion and he was detained.”
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The prosecutor added Jones admitted having sold cannabis to the occupants of the house and also said there was cannabis at his home. When police went there they found eight large heat sealed bags of female flowering heads and more bags in a bedroom “ready for onward sale.”
They also recovered £1,200 cash and scales, he the court heard the drugs had a street value of £12,840. Mr Taylor said: “Messages on his mobile phone were consistent with the supply of cannabis. There were references to dropping off £20 and £40 deals."
The court heard 46-year-old Jones has previous convictions including supplying cannabis for which he received a six month suspended sentence in January 2020, which expired six months before the new offence. Rory McCormack, defending, said Jones, a dad of two teenagers, has never received an immediate jail term and represents a low risk of re-offending.
He has limited mobility and mental health difficulties and is on medication, he added. Jones, of Royal Terrace, Southport, pleaded guilty to possessing cannabis with intent to supply.
Judge Denis Watson, QC, sentenced him to ten months imprisonment. He said Jones had “not only expected but had attained significant financial advantage.”
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