South Shields drug dealer exposed after he was arrested for an attack outside a pub

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A dealer’s “drugs business” was exposed after police seized his phone when he was arrested for violence.

Adam Pallister’s handset contained messages to contacts informing them he was “open for business day or night” and ready to supply “quality products in generous amounts”.

It also contained photographs of “large amounts of packaged cocaine” and the images indicated Pallister handled “a large amount of money” through the profitable but illegal business.

At Newcastle Crown Court today the 30-year-old, formerly from South Shields, admitted supplying cocaine and offering to supply cocaine and cannabis between January 2021 and April 2022.

The court heard he is already serving a nine-year jail term for causing GBH with intent and assault, which was imposed in April.

Prosecutor Kevin Wardlaw said it was when Pallister’s phone was examined after his arrest for those offences that the drug messages were found.

Newcastle Crown Court. Photo: Google Maps.

Mr Wardlaw said: “These reveal that the defendant had been involved in supply and offering to supply cocaine on a regular basis and offering to supply cannabis.

“The Crown concede this was not on every day but he has been in the past a regular dealer of these drugs.

“The defendant sent bulk messages to contacts informing them he was open for business, day or night and was able to supply quality products in generous amounts”.

Mr Wardlaw said the images on the phone showed the business was “profitable”.

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Judge Edward Bindloss sentenced Pallister to an extra year on top of the nine he is already serving.

The judge told him: “You were a street dealer supplying directly to users for financial gain. You were running this business, this drugs business.”

The court heard Pallister admitted his guilt in relation to the drugs offences and had been out of trouble for a number of years before the recent convictions.