Homeless man sold drugs on the street to feed his own habit

POLICE twice intercepted a street drug dealer who got so desperate his home was a wheelie bin.

Arran Bennett was persuaded to sell drugs in order to feed his own drug habit, Bristol Crown Court heard.

Having been arrested in August 2019 he was released and was caught dealing again just two months later.

The 29-year-old, of Richmond Road, Montpelier, pleaded guilty to three charges of possessing a Class A drug with intent to supply.

Judge Julian Lambert imposed a two-year prison sentence suspended for two years.

The judge told the court there was an “inexplicable” delay in the case which he didn’t understand.

He told Bennett: “You were caught red-handed in 2019.

“You are a different person now, with a roof over your head.

“You seem to have sorted yourself out. It would not be right to send you to jail. You were in the gutter, literally, and you’ve pulled yourself out.”

The judge handed Bennett a 12 months drug rehabilitation order, 26 days’ rehabilitation and told him to live where directed.

Ian Fenny, prosecuting, said police in plain clothes approached Bennett in Bath city centre on August 20, 2019.

Though he ran off he was arrested and found with eight wraps of 41 per cent pure crack cocaine worth £80, £225.50 and phones containing evidence of drug supply.

Having been released police again arrested him on October 18, 2019, after he was heard to tell a homeless man “two minutes”.

On this occasion he was found to have £248.27 cash and a mobile phone with drugs messages.

He also had 17 wraps of heroin worth £340 and nine wraps of crack cocaine worth £90.

Peter Binder, defending, said: “This was a homeless drug addict in the vice-like grip of Class A addiction. He was living at one point in a wheelie bin.

“He had a drugs phone and street deals which he would supply for cash.

“Exploitation is a factor written large in this defendant’s background and circumstances.”