Drug dealing pals caught napping
TWO school friends were caught sleeping in their car when the police came knocking – and they were found dealing cocaine.
Jonathan Hopkinson and William Thompson, both 28, claimed to officers that they had driven back from Scotland the night before and couldn’t find a place to stay so decided to sleep in a hired grey Mercedes.
Thompson, from Heywood, also stated he was the owner of a Vauxhall Vectra parked nearby, Manchester Crown Court heard.
However, after officers continued their patrols around Eccles, Salford, they saw Hopkinson, from Middleton, nearby speaking to a woman – as well as the Vectra parked on a different street.
Following a search of both cars and the two men, officers found 13.6 grams of cocaine, digital scales, multiple phones and drugs debtors’ lists as well as a meat cleaver hidden in a carrier bag.
Hopkinson and Thompson pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply class A drugs and were both jailed. Prosecuting, Simon Blakeborough told the court that on October 25, 2019, at around 11am, officers were on patrol on Barton Lane when they spotted the sleeping men, Hopkinson in the driver seat and Thompson in the passenger seat.
Three mobile phones were recovered from the front passenger door and a cannabis blunt was also discovered, which Thompson accepted was his and so was given a caution.
The phones were examined and included messages of the supply of cocaine requested by buyers for ‘white and sniff’.
In a police interview, Hopkinson said he was out of work and in financial hardship when Thompson asked him to drive him to Scotland for £200.
He later admitted to dealing cocaine in ‘little bits’.
Thompson admitted to the officers that two of the three phones found were his, but gave no comment in relation to the drugs found.
Mitigating on behalf of Thompson, Mark Friend said: “He was in a dark place at the time and he made a very poor decision.”
Mitigating for an emotional Hopkinson, Mark Lea said that both men were born within weeks of each other, were friends through school and, up until October 2019, both had good employment. “They both suffered traumatic losses, he has suffered immense stress, his relationship floundered and he found himself in a considerable drug debt,” he said.
Mr Lea said his client has since rebuilt his relationship and acts as a carer for his grandmother.
Sentencing them, Recorder Imran Shafi QC said: “You brought this on yourselves. Drug dealing of class A drugs is a serious offence.”
Hopkinson, of Hollin Lane, Middleton, was jailed for 28 months and Thompson, of Gregge Street, Heywood, for 32 months.