Four years in jail for drug dealer

A 26-YEAR-OLD Bradley man has been jailed for more than four years after police uncovered a drugs conspiracy following his arrest.

Nathaniel Everton Walsh was arrested back in April 2016 after officers on mobile patrol followed the Vauxhall Insignia he was driving on Leeds Road, Huddersfield.

During the subsequent police inquiry a search was carried out at the Bradley home of a 16-year-old boy, who had also been arrested, and officers found a so-called “bash box” containing a quantity of heroin, cutting agents and a blender with Walsh’s fingerprints on it.

Bradford Crown Court heard that officers also found a hydraulic press containing traces of cocaine.

It is understood that a mobile phone seized from Walsh contained evidence of text images relating to the supply of Class A drugs.

Walsh, of Elder Road, pleaded guilty to conspiring with the 16-year-old and others unknown to supply Class A drugs and was sentenced to four years and six months in jail for that offence.

He was also sentenced to an extra three months in jail for an offence of perverting the course of justice relating to threats he made towards the teenager.

The Recorder of Bradford, Judge Jonathan Durham Hall QC, imposed a concurrent nine-month jail term for an offence of acquiring criminal property.

Analysis of Walsh’s banking records showed he had received cash payments of almost £30,000 over a 10-month period and the prosecution submitted that the money was the proceeds of Class A drugs supply.

The co-defendant had his 12-month detention sentence suspended for a year after he accepted his role in the conspiracy.

Sentencing the teenager Judge Durham Hall said he had been “exploited and intimidated” by more sophisticated individuals and he described the suspended sentence as an exceptional course, but entirely appropriate.