'Sheer desperation' - South Tyneside drug dealer caught with £17,000 cannabis haul after cops act on tip-off
Police acting on information pulled over a car and uncovered a huge haul of cannabis, South Tyneside magistrates were told.
A South Tyneside drug dealer was caught with £17,000 of cannabis after he and his partner in crime were busted by police, a court heard.
Robert Winter, 34, was a passenger in a Nissan being driven by Shaun Bristow, 56, and pulled over by officers in South Shields on Friday, March 28 last year.
Cannabis with an estimated street value of £14,400 was found, along with a mobile phone detailing drug trading, prosecutor Paul Anderson said.
And when police searched Winter’s home, they located another batch of the prohibited class B drug, valued at £2,380, borough magistrates heard.
Winter, of Farne Avenue, Horsley Hill, South Shields, pleaded guilty to two counts of possession with intent to supply a controlled class B drug.
The offender, who has a single conviction from 2013, had his case adjourned for reports and for a drug and alcohol assessment.
He will be sentenced at the same court on Tuesday, August 11.
Bristow, of Raby Street, Byker, Newcastle, admitted one count of the same charge and was jailed for eight months, suspended for 18 months.
Magistrates told him they hoped he realised “just how lucky” he was to not be immediately caged.
Mr Anderson said: “Both defendants were stopped by police because there was information available that they were involved in drug supply.
“They were in a Nissan Juke and were stopped in the South Shields area. When stopped, there was a very strong smell of cannabis from the vehicle.
“A substantial amount of cannabis was found in the passenger footwell where Mr Winter was sitting. Mr Bristow was in the driver’s seat.
“The police estimate the value of the cannabis in the vehicle to be £14,400.
“A phone was recovered which had messages in it, with significant amounts of cannabis to others.
“We can’t attribute the phone to either but it’s clear that they were working in tandem. There are messages showing receiving drugs and receiving payments.”
Mr Anderson added: “Police went to Mr Winter’s home address and a further amount of cannabis was found.
“It was in a bedroom and valued at £2,380. That explains the extra charge for him.
“Mr Bristow has already been sentenced in relation to a drug driving offence related to the police stop.
“The crown’s case is that both were concerned in the supply of drugs. The total is around £17,000.
“It’s a significant role, the crown would submit, due to the amount of cannabis recovered.
“It’s a starting point of 12 months custody, although the range does go significantly higher than that.”
David Forester, defending Winter, told magistrates: “He has one conviction as an adult and that was in 2013. That’s well spent.
“You’ll give him credit for his early guilty plea. This is something you could deal with in this court.”
Ian Wilson, defending Bristow, said: “His attitude and stance was that he wanted to plead guilty and put this episode behind him.
“He was in a bad place. He had mental health issues, and he had lost his mother. He was addressing his problems with cannabis and cocaine.
“He was in an extremely large amount of debt and was asked if he would get involved in this offence. He did it out of sheer desperation.”
Bristow must also pay a £187 victim surcharge and £85 court costs and complete 20 rehabilitation days.