Uncle informed on drug dealer who had £10k in safe at home

Kurt Douce has been sentenced to three years in custody. A YOUNG Derby drug dealer who had £10,000 in a safe at his home was reported to the police by his own uncle.

Also in the safe were two “solid lumps” of cocaine which Kurt Douce later admitted were his and that he intended to sell on for profit.

Derby Crown Court heard how two years ago the now 20-year-old was forging a successful career as a trainee accountant.

Now, he will spend the next 18 months in young offender’s institution having been handed a three-year term in custody.

Judge Shaun Smith QC told him: “When you were 18, you were a trainee accountant who had never been in trouble in your life.

“Then you got involved in some violence and things then spiralled downwards.

“Now you have got yourself involved in significant drug dealing.

“Had it been class B drugs I could have avoided sending you to prison – but it involved class A drugs, and quite a large amount.

“This was not just two or three wraps being dealt on the street. It was two large lumps of cocaine, £10,000 in cash and a pretty horrific looking knife.”

Lauren Butts, prosecuting, said the offence took place on November 29.

She said: “Police stopped a car being driven by the defendant in Burton Road following information he was in pos- session of drugs and a knife. That information came from the defendant’s own uncle who had told police his nephew was involved in the selling of drugs.

“When he was stopped he struggled with the police and needed to be restrained. An officer then conducted a search of the vehicle and found a fixedbladed knife inside it.”

Miss Butts said 11 wraps of cannabis were also found in a bag in the front passenger side footwell of the car. A further three cannabis wraps were discovered in the car, along with two wraps of cocaine.

She said: “The police also went to his address where they seized a safe. Inside was £10,000 in cash and two lumps of solid white substance, which was later found to be cocaine.”

Miss Butts said the value of the drugs was not known.

Douce, of Burdock Close, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply cocaine and cannabis, possession criminal property and possession of a bladed article.

One of his previous offences saw him handed a suspended sentence for affray after he become involved in a 20-minute mass brawl in the street involving weapons between rival families in February 2016.

Justin Ablott, mitigating, said: “There is still time for this young man to turn his life around.

“At 18 he was a trainee accountant but he lost his job as a result of his conviction for affray and he has been drifting about since.”