A vulnerable 19-year-old agreed to keep cocaine in his bedroom for drug dealers in exchange for cannabis. Khalim Reynolds, who lives in a centre for young and vulnerable people in Newport, kept the cocaine in his bedroom which was discovered by Gwent Police officers on June 9.
When police executed a warrant at the property they seized mobile phones, a significant amount of cocaine amounting to £2,400, and other paraphernalia. Others were also arrested at the address on suspicion of drug dealing.
Reynolds refused to provide access to his phone when asked by police and responded “no comment” to all questions when interviewed. Georgina Buckley, prosecuting, told Cardiff Crown Court that Reynolds had been acting as a custodian and would not have been directly involved in the supply of the drugs.
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Reynolds had offended throughout 2019 including charges of fraud, robbery, affray, and a racially-aggravated public order offence. He also was charged with possession to supply heroin in January 2019.
Scott Bowen, mitigating, said 2019 had been a “particularly difficult time” for his client. Referring to the latest offence he said: “At the time of the offence he was 18 and he was lacking maturity." Mr Bowen asked Recorder Paul Hobson for full credit for his client’s guilty plea.
“His immaturity can be linked to his limited role that he had," Mr Bowen continued. "He stupidly accepted to stash the drugs in his room in exchange for cannabis. He is a young, impressionable, and quiet man and he now plans to move out of the house he is in.”
Recorder Hobson spoke directly to Reynolds, saying: “You have previous convictions. Significantly, on January 29, 2019, you were involved in the possession with intent to supply heroin. You were 15 years old at the time.
“You will understand that possession with intent to supply is a very serious offence – so serious in fact that only a prison sentence can usually be justifiable. Let me make something very clear.; people involved in Class A drug supply go to prison for very significant periods of time. It is rare that someone avoids prison and even rarer for a second offence.
“You have had one of the toughest starts to life of any defendant I have come across. The court should look into ways to rehabilitate you if it can. In my judgement a combination of personal circumstances and the fact you have stayed out of trouble since the offence allows me to consider a prospect of rehabilitation.”
Reynolds, of Newport, was handed a 16-month detention in a youth offenders’ institution suspended for 18 months. He was also ordered to carry out 115 hours of unpaid work in the community and to carry out rehabilitation work.
“If you breach this order it will be me that deals with it and I will send you to detention,” Recorder Hobson said. “You are now in a position where you have two convictions at the age of 19 for Class A drug offences. A third offence would mean seven years in prison. That is the indication of how serious your predicament is.”
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