A drug-dealing dad was spared jail after vowing to turn over a new leaf and "to get my son back".
Joshua Edge has been addicted to Class A drugs for a decade and, during that period, he had previously been imprisoned for domestic violence and stabbing his girlfriend's dog. Despite his shady past, a judge offered him two choices today - prison or strict community-based orders.
Liverpool Crown Court heard how police stopped a black Ford Focus on East Prescot Road in Liverpool, at around 8.40pm on April 4, 2020 where Mr Edge was found in the front passenger seat. Mark Phillips, prosecuting, added that officers discovered two wraps of heroin, weighing 0.28g, and one wrap of cocaine, weighing 0.10g, totalling in an estimated value of £30 while searching the car, the Liverpool Echo reports.
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A mobile phone was also seized by police accompanied by £60 in cash. After searching through messages on the phone, police discovered texts "consistent with illicit drug supply".
Mr Edge, of Goswell Street, Wavertree, provided no comment during the interview and was charged with two counts of possessing Class A drugs with intent to supply as well as two counts of being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs, and possession of criminal property (the cash). He pleaded guilty to the two counts of possessing Class A drugs with intent to supply while the other charges were dropped.
A pre-sentence report showed that Mr Edge admitted to being a drug user while he was forced to deal drugs "under pressure", however, the prosecution did not accept that he was under pressure for drug dealing. But, Mr Phillips accepted that Mr Edge was in possession of an insignificant amount of drugs, was not making a lot of money and played a "lesser role".
Julian Nutter, defending, heard from Judge Anil Murray that if he wanted to stress the fact his client was under pressure, he could have conducted a Newton Hearing - a mini-trial where a judge establishes disputed facts. Despite this, Mr Nutter claimed that Edge did not wish to put the 25 per cent credit off his sentence at risk which he would only get if he pleaded guilty.
Mr Edge has 17 previous convictions for 29 offence, 15 of which are for possessing drugs between 2012 and 2020, but none for supplying drugs. He was also convicted for causing grievous bodily harm and actual bodily harm in 2015 after attacking his ex-partner.
Furthermore, he attacked a dog during an assault on another girlfriend on Boxing Day, 2020. Mr Nutter asserted that his client was drug dealing two years ago when he was addicted to drugs, stating: "He wants to come off drugs and he wants to get his son back". Mr Edge also gave evidence over video link from HMP Liverpool where he added that he was now on a methadone prescription in prison while reducing it to 5ml per week.
Mr Nutter added: "He had been involved in drugs for many years as a victim of other street dealers." Edge said he left a home in March 2021 which he was required to live in because a woman he stayed with "kept bringing people back to the house, they were threatening me and they took my mobile phone".
"I was in fear," he stressed. Following this, Edge said he lived on "the streets" until he as arrested and taken into custody. He has also attended drug programmes with Change Grow Live while in jail and reduced his methadone intake from 40ml to 25ml.
If released, he said he would go to Liverpool charity We Are With You to get a "heroin blocker" injection monthly "so I cannot use Heroin". Mr Nutter said: ""What's driving you to do this?"
Mr Edge replied: "I want to get my son back - contact with my son." Mr Nutter said: "You very much want to see your new son?".
"Yes," Edge replied.
Mr Nutter urged the judge to spared Mr Edge from jail as he believed there was a "realistic prospect of rehabilitation". Judge Murray responded that possession of three wraps of drugs "ordinarily would not result in this type of charge" and he took no account of the texts. He said: "It's difficult to imagine a case like this with less drugs involved."
The judge said: "I heard you give evidence - I've been impressed by that. On paper you don't look like a good prospect for rehabilitation, but having heard you, I'm going to give you a chance."
Mr Edge received an 18 months jail sentence suspended for two years. Alongside this, he imposed a Thinking Skills Programme, 30-day Rehabilitation Activity Requirement, 12-month Drug Rehabilitation Requirement and 150 hours of unpaid work.
The judge added: "That's a lot of things. I'm going to give you a chance now to say whether you would rather I gave you the 18 months." "No," Edge replied. Judge Murray said: "I take it you're going to do this?"
"Yes," Edge vowed.
"The first time I see you, if you breach this, or come back with new offences, I will activate this," the judge said, in reference to reserved breaches of the suspended sentence. He added: "You must contact Mr Nutter to thank him from the bottom of your heart, because he's just saved you from immediate imprisonment."
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