A Newcastle man began dealing cocaine and cannabis after getting into a £7,000 drugs debt.
Police went to Adum Mohammed's home after he was arrested in connection with being drunk and disorderly, but went on to discover a stash of class A and B drugs. Quantities of cocaine, MDMA and cannabis were found in a safe in the 27-year-old's home.
Following his arrest, Mohammed, of York Street, in the Elswick area of Newcastle, said he was required to begin selling the drugs after getting himself into a £7,000 drugs debt. On Monday, he was hauled in front of a judge at Newcastle's Moot Hall to be sentenced for possession of class A and B drugs with intent to supply. He appeared at the court via link from HMP Durham.
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The court heard that Mohammed - who was unemployed at the time - was arrested on January 8 this year in connected with being drunk and disorderly. Soon after, police conducted a search of his home.
Recorder James Wood KC, said: "The police went to your home and searched it and came across materials which showed you were engaged in drug dealing on a significant scale. The quantity of drugs was not great and they were hidden in a portable safe in your home. You told a probation officer you got into a £7,000 drugs debt which required you, in turn, to deal. You are clearly a street dealer."
The court was told Mohammed had a "poor" criminal record and that there had been "some pressure applied" to him in order to deal the drugs.
Andrew Walker, defending, said: "The defendant explained the circumstances how he came to be housing these particular drugs and explained the debt he had accrued. He has nobody to blame but himself, however, there was a degree of pressure upon him. He told a probation officer it was a £7,000 debt. He had no influence on anybody above him in the chain."
Recorder Wood jailed Mohammed for three years.
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