A worker at a vehicle-recovery yard unwittingly smashed a lucrative drug-dealing enterprise.
He drove an impounded Nissan car out of the compound, only for the pedals to be jammed by a large cannabis stash in the driver’s footwell.
The employee alerted police to the large package under the car pedals. That was much to the dismay of the vehicle’s owner who had arrived to pick his car up, but left under arrest for dealing cannabis and ketamine, York Magistrates’ Court heard.
Police discovered that the registered keeper of the Nissan was 57-year-old York man Steven Cooper, whose first stab at street-dealing appeared to be extremely lucrative, but ended in rather farcical fashion at a vehicle compound in Selby.
Prosecutor Kaye Barnard said the Nissan ended up at the vehicle-recovery yard used by police following an incident 11 days earlier.
That was when officers spotted Cooper performing a “dangerous manoeuvre” in his car near York city centre.
He drove from the scene in Kent Street, next to York Barbican, but officers found the vehicle parked up shortly afterwards.
Just under two weeks later, on 15 January last year, Cooper went to the police’s vehicle-recovery yard in Hemingbrough, near Selby, to retrieve his car.
He paid the storage costs, but when an employee drove the vehicle out of the yard he noticed “something blocking the pedals”.
“He found a parcel containing individual bags of cannabis and powder and reported it to police,” said Ms Barnard.
Charged with dealing
Cooper, of Northfields, Strensall, was arrested and charged with three counts of possessing Class B drugs with intent to supply – namely cannabis, ketamine and Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive element of cannabis.
Upon his arrest, Cooper was found with £858 cash and two mobile phones.
Ms Barnard said that during a further search of the vehicle, police found £1,110 cash, a notebook, a deal bag containing 6g of ketamine, packets of cannabis flower and 17 packs of various THC products weighing over a kilo.
Messages found on Cooper’s mobiles were indicative of “street dealing”, she added.
Cooper appeared for sentence yesterday (Thursday) when the prosecution outlined his criminal record comprising 11 previous convictions for 34 offences, albeit nothing drug related.
His solicitor said that Cooper had been on a “downward spiral” since the death of his wife four years ago, which led to him using cannabis. He now suffered with serious mental and physical health conditions.
He said that Cooper was on “myriad medication” for his physical ailments and was hooked on alcohol and drugs.
He added that Cooper, who was on benefits, had been pressured into dealing by those to whom he owed a drug debt.
Deputy district judge Imran Hussain said that Cooper had engaged in an illicit trade which had ripple effects for wider society, but noted that his last criminal conviction was 26 years ago.
He said he also had to consider Cooper’s remorse and the fact that he had co-operated with police, which meant that he could suspend the inevitable jail sentence.
The seven-month prison sentence was suspended for 18 months. As part of that order, Cooper must complete a nine-month drug-rehabilitation programme and 10 rehabilitation-activity days.
Cooper said “thank you very much” as he was also ordered to pay £85 prosecution costs and a statutory surcharge.
