Police smelt something fishy about duo’s story

TWO cannabis dealers caught in a car which smelt strongly of the drug claimed they were “going fishing”, a court heard.

Driver Thomas Oyitch and passenger Kiel Quimby, 27, were stopped in a Vauxhall Astra by police as they travelled along Outram Street, Sutton-inashfield, on May 31, 2019.

Quimby, of no fixed address, told police they “had been to a fishing tackle shop and were going fishing”.

But they were detained for a search and a large amount of cannabis that they were intending to supply was found in the car.

Smaller amounts of Class A drugs found were for personal use.

Police seized phones and there were messages asking if “a dealer is available”.

Both defendants were involved in the supply of cannabis, Nottingham Crown Court heard.

Oyitch pleaded guilty to possessing cannabis with intent to supply – after cannabis with a street value of just over £1,000 was found in the car.

He also admitted supplying cannabis between May 12, 2019, and June 1, 2019, based on evidence on his phone, possessing ecstasy and possessing cocaine.

Oyitch, of Cavendish Avenue, Sutton-in-ashfield, made certain admissions to being involved in supplying drugs, said Katrina Wilson, prosecuting.

Oyitch, 23, had been smoking cannabis for six years and owed £2,000 to a drug dealer. He lost his job two weeks earlier and began to deal cannabis.

He refused to provide police with the PIN code for his phone. Police described him as someone who knew little about dealing and appeared to be vulnerable.

Oyitch was given a total sentence of six months in prison, suspended for 12 months, 150 hours of unpaid work and 20 rehabilitation activity days.

Judge Steven Coupland said he was 21 at the time, now only 23, and in “a dark place at the time you got into the use and supply of drugs”.

Quimby pleaded guilty to possessing cocaine and supplying cannabis between the same dates as Oyitch, also based on evidence on his mobile phone.

Jennifer Wells, mitigating on his behalf, said he was using drugs at the time and funding his own habit through the supply of drugs.

He now had a dumper truck licence and has a job as a site operative. Quimby has been out of trouble for two years since the incident. His sentence was four months in prison, suspended for 12 months, and 75 days of unpaid work.

Judge Coupland said: “As long ago as May 2019 both of you were out supplying cannabis, something both of you were doing for about two weeks – you were touring around selling it”.

You were out supplying cannabis for about two weeks, you were touring around selling it

Judge Steven Coupland