A stupid dealer dumped his drugs on a takeaway table and winked at the person sat there – only to discover it was a policeman on his lunch break.
Leo Scales, 26, was pulled over and spoken to by police after his passenger went into the takeaway in Main Street, Rotherham, in May 2023. Officers believed he was not qualified to drive the car and wanted to check, but Scales told them he had to go and speak with his friend.
Prosecutor Joseph Bell told Sheffield Crown Court on Thursday, January 9m officers had no reason to suspect anything unusual was going on, as they had pulled him over to check the car. However, once inside the takeaway, Scales, of Far Lane, East Dene, deposited wraps of heroin and cocaine at a random table where a man was sat.
Mr Bell said: “He entered the takeaway and put down two packages and winked to the person sitting there and said, ‘You’ve not seen anything have you mate?’
“The man was a police officer having his lunch break from a nearby police station.
“The defendant went out and the police officer followed him with the drugs and he was arrested. He told officers they were for personal use.”
Sheffield Crown Court
(Image: Katie Pugh)
Police discovered 4.5g of cocaine with an estimated street value of £450 and 12 individual wraps of heroin, with an estimated street value of between £120 and £210. They also found a Nokia phone, which showed evidence of sent messages advertising the sale of drugs, and slips of paper with a number on.
Mr Bell said: “The phone number was thought to be advertising the drugs line he works for…It was clearly street dealing with the manner the drugs were packaged and the messages. The fact the cocaine needed breaking down further, the Crown say, is indicative that he was responsible for that and shows awareness of the scale of the operation.”
A small amount of cannabis was also found in the car.
Scales went on to admit possession with intent to supply class A drugs and possession of a class B drug. Mr Bell said he had two previous convictions for possession of cocaine and breaching a conditional discharge.
Mitigating, Andrew Pickin, told the court Scales was paying off a drug debt. He said he volunteers with his local boxing club to help the homeless in his area. Mr Pickin addressed Her Honour Judge Wright and said: “I ask you to take into account his position. He was paying off a drug debt and the pressure put upon him, his divorce and credit. He pleaded guilty at the plea, trial and preparation hearing. There is a lack of serious antecedence.
“There was a delay in charging him. What I will be submitting is strong personal mitigation and his low risk and high likelihood of rehabilitation. He was 24 years of age and it took 15 months to charge him and 16 months for his first court appearance. You will note the relevance of that is that he has not offended in the subsequent time.
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“He is not a big player in this operation. He has not been to prison before. You may agree that he doesn’t trouble the courts often and hasn’t done since he has been investigated for these offences. He comes to court today with his bags packed and prepared to be sent to custody.”
The court was told Scales has since passed his driving test, something he considers an achievement.
Judge Wright made him the subject of a two-year sentence suspended for two years, ordering him to carry out 15 rehabilitation activity requirement days, a drug rehabilitation requirement for six months and 150 hours of unpaid work.
She told Scales: “I am just about persuaded there is a realistic prospect of rehabilitation in your case and that custody will have a significant impact on others. I am therefore persuaded – and only just persuaded – to suspend that custodial sentence.”
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