Teen in court charged with drug deals in playgrounds
A TEENAGER who allegedly took part in drug deals in children’s playgrounds appeared in court after being investigated over a series of linked shootings in Huddersfield.
Ameer Rajab, 19, appeared at Leeds Magistrates’ Court on Saturday for the first time after his arrest last week.
It came after a series of shootings in Deighton, Fartown and Birkby.
The bespectacled defendant, who was dressed in a grey top and black vest with blue jeans, is accused of supplying heroin and crack cocaine for £10 in children’s playgrounds while youngsters and their parents were present.
He was charged by West Yorkshire Police as part of their investigations into a recent spate of shootings across the Huddersfield area.
Police confirmed on Friday that they were linking shootings in Scott Vale, Deighton, Birkby Hall Road, Birkby and Clara Street in Fartown on Saturday, December 29, Sunday, December 30 and Wednesday, January 2.
Police had given Rajab’s address as Scott Vale, Deighton, but in court the defendant gave it as Dewsbury Road, Leeds.
He was charged with 11 offences of possession with intent to supply Class A drugs including heroin and crack cocaine.
All of the alleged offences are said to have occurred between April and June last year.
Prosecutor Pauline McCullagh described the charges as ‘multiple offences of supplying Class A drugs’.
She said: “There has been a sensitive, covert police operation in connection with it.”
She added that an aggravating feature is that they have allegedly taken ‘place in effect in children’s playgrounds for the exchange of drugs while parents and children have been present’.
Rajab’s legal representative, Mohammed Farooq, told the court there would be no indication of plea.
The defendant’s family sat quietly at the back of the court and listened intently to the proceedings.
Magistrates refused his application for bail and remanded him in custody to appear before a judge at Leeds Crown Court on Monday, February 4.