HEROIN ADDICT’S FAMILY SENDING HIM TO PAKISTAN TO ‘GET CLEAN’

Suspended sentence will allow him to detox

THE family of a heroin addict are to send him to Pakistan to detox after he was caught with £740 worth of the class A drug.

Mohammed Ghafoor, right, has been addicted to heroin for half his life, and his lovedones are now taking drastic action so he can get clean.

They made the decision to send him abroad after he went on trial for drug dealing at Stoke-ontrent Crown Court earlier this year.

The 45-year-old, of Beresford Street, Shelton, had been charged with possession of heroin with intent to supply.

But he maintained the drugs were all for his own use and a jury found in his favour.

He was bailed but he failed to attend his sentencing hearing at Northampton Crown Court on September 15.

Now Ghafoor has been handed a suspended prison sentence so he can go to a detoxification centre in the South Asian country.

Niall Skinner, mitigating, said at the time the pre-sentence report was prepared the defendant was using £20 worth of heroin a day and £10 worth of cannabis.

But he is now on methadone and is seeing a drug worker. Mr Skinner told the court the defendant’s family are prepared to pay for him to go to a detox centre in Pakistan.

Judge David Fletcher sentenced Ghafoor to five months in prison, suspended for 12 months, for offences of possession of a class A drug, possession of class B drug cannabis and escape.

The judge told the defendant: “You are 45 and you have been using heroin for half your life. I have been dealing with people who use heroin for half my life.

“It is nonsense that taking cannabis will help your detox from heroin.

“You are not an unintelligent man. You should be able to think seriously about getting yourself sorted out and getting rid of your heroin use.

“I am passing a sentence which will enable you to take advantage of what your family is offering you.

“You always indicated you were in possession of heroin and a small amount of cannabis. Your intention was to use it for your own addiction and not to supply to others.

“You have always been willing to plead to these offences on that basis.

“This sentence will not prevent you from going to detox in Pakistan.”

The judge ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the drugs.