Young dad turned to drug dealing after he lost his job in lockdown
22-YEAR-OLD GIVEN SECOND CHANCE
A YOUNG dad on hard times is “very lucky” to not be behind bars after he was caught dealing drugs after losing his job due to coronavirus.
Jake Taylor, 22, turned to selling cocaine and heroin in Bridlington in order to contribute financially towards his first child born just a month before.
The young plumber lost his apprenticeship due to the Covid pandemic and was left with zero income before “turned to the wrong people” for help.
On April 13, last year police were made aware of a cyclist acting suspiciously after repeatedly visiting a Volkswagen Golf in a car park in North Street.
“The male was seen returning to the vehicle making calls and removing packages from the vehicle before riding away,” said prosecuting barrister Katherine White at Hull Crown Court.
Police continued to search for the rider before deciding to make their way to St Andrew Road, an area of Bridlington known to officers for drug dealing.
Taylor was there and cycled away but officers went in pursuit around Bridlington.
Taylor pedalled hard towards on foot officers blocking his path to avoid capture, but was tackled to the ground.
Officers found £299.60 in cash, as well as the keys to the Volkswagen Golf, a car which was in Taylor’s name.
He was arrested and during a strip search at a nearby police station officers found wraps of Class A drugs within a small bag in his underwear and concealed inside two kinder egg shells. A further £380 was found in the car.
“He told officers he had been going through a hard time with his partner and child and that he was struggling financially,” said Ms White.
Taylor admitted that he had been delivering heroin and cocaine to users for an unknown contact for several days.
He would claim ten per cent and would make up to 20 deals per day, selling them at up to £20 per wrap.
Police found 88 wraps of cocaine and 14 wraps of heroin at a total value of £1,020 and a mobile phone, which contained one text message advertising “best of both”.
Taylor appeared at Hull Crown Court on January 18, to be sentenced for possession of cocaine and heroin with intent to supply and possession of criminal property.
Mitigating barrister Rachel Scott told the court that Taylor had no previous convictions and that at the time of the offence he was in “financial difficulty”.
She revealed Taylor had become a father a month before committing the offence and had lost his job as an apprentice plumber.
“Covid stopped his work and he had not been furloughed,” said Ms Scott. “He was receiving zero income.
“He became a father for the first time in March and although he had no contact he was expected to contribute financially.
“He accepts he went about things the wrong way. He went to a friend asking if there was any work and got himself involved in this criminal enterprise.
“He has only got himself to blame by putting himself in that position.”
Ms Scott revealed Taylor was also funding his own drug habit, but since his arrest he had turned his back on taking drugs as he “didn’t want to be that person anymore”.
The arrest and appearances “scared the living daylights out of him”, said Ms Scott, and Taylor “knows he let his family down”.
“He is a very naive young man who was going through difficulties and financial struggle and turned to the wrong people. He knows he has to pay for that.”
Considering the sentence, Recorder Singh QC said: “This is a very difficult sentencing exercise.
“From one side of this is a deterrent sentence that should be administered with punishment that you ought to be serving inside a prison cell.
“I have had to work very hard in my own mind to consider giving you a chance.
“This type of offending would ordinarily result in immediate prison time and I am going out on the limb to do what I am about to do.
“I hope you take this opportunity and never come before this court again.
“I hope you understand the emotional distress you must have put on your family as a result of this.
“Consider yourself very lucky”.
Taylor was sentenced to two years in prison suspended for two years. He must also complete 250 hours of unpaid work.