A young dad has been jailed for three years after he inadvertently supplied undercover police officers with drugs in order to repay a debt to his dealer - the day before he decided to find a job to repay the money he owed.
Jaden Bond, 22, cycled up to two undercover officers on July 21, 2021, after the pair had ordered “two whites and a dark” - crack cocaine and heroin, through the “James” drug supply phone line as part of an operation to crack down on drug dealing in Manchester City Centre.
A hearing at Manchester Crown Court, Crown Square, on Monday July 25, heard that Bond, of Shawhill Walk, had been recruited as part of the supply chain to repay his debt to his dealer from his own drug use, and was making runs on a blue pushbike for one day before he decided to get a job to repay his debts instead.
READ MORE: Heartbreaking tributes paid to teenager, 17, "who made everyone laugh" killed in motorbike crash
Kate Gaskell, prosecuting, told the court that the two undercover officers arranged a meeting at “the rocks”, when Bond cycled up to them and handed over three wraps in exchange for some cash. The officers tested the wraps and found them to be crack cocaine and heroin, and Bond was circulated as a wanted person on police computers, until he was arrested for an unrelated matter on May 8 this year.
Bond was also charged with a non-domestic burglary, after his fingerprint was found at the entrance of Pollen Bakery in Ancoats where three men forced their way in during the early hours of September 13, 2020, before taking an iphone, a macbook, petty cash, and a case of coke.
Neil Ronan, defending, accepted that Bond must go to prison but pleaded for leniency for his client as the offences are of “some vintage” and he was only involved in one day of dealing. He said: “He was involved in that one day of dealing and then he started work because he realised he was in a very precarious position because of his debts that would get him into trouble.
“He did not want to risk that issue happening in his life once again and he took the road less travelled by those in his position and took on work in the Trafford Park area before the knock came on the door. This man, lamentably, finds himself in this position after he had voluntarily turned his life around, in part due to his partner who had a daughter last August.
“He is sitting in prison kicking himself as he finds himself deprived of what is a strong nuclear family he was providing for. He turned his life around voluntarily only to have to deal with what he had done in the past.”
Recorder Cox sentenced Bond to three years and two months imprisonment for two counts of supplying Class A drugs, possession of Class A drugs, and a non-domestic burglary. The young dad will have to serve 19 months imprisonment, minus the time served since May 8, before he can be released on licence.
Addressing Bond, he said: “You owed a large debt to your dealer and it was the only time you were involved in dealing. You had some awareness and understanding of the scale of the operation, the use of the phone line, the way the operation was being organised, and the way in which you were to carry out the task set out for you.
“You have some personal mitigation, there’s been a delay which can’t be placed at your door, you had begun to turn your life around, and you have a daughter who you are not seeing as a result of your decisions.”
Read more of today's top stories here
READ NEXT :
