Man spared jail
AF I R S T-T I M E offender has been spared prison after a court heard he had been drawn into being involved in supplying heroin and crack cocaine when he needed to find somewhere to live.
Nathan Evans, 21, of Sycamore Road, Runcorn, appeared at Chester Crown Court last Thursday, November 8, where he was sentenced to 20 months in prison suspended for two years plus a 15-day rehabilitation requirement and 100 hours unpaid work.
Peter Hussey, appearing for the Crown, said police arrested Evans after a raid at a flat on Thorn Road just before 7.30am on July 13 last year.
Evans was asleep in a double bed in the living room covered by a quilt, and when woken and asked if there were any drugs, replied ‘no’.
Officers found a bag of cannabis resin in the kitchen and when asked who it belonged to, Evans said: “Oh, that’s mine.”
Police asked if there were any more drugs and he said ‘no’.
A constable realised the quilt was now on the floor and upon looking under it found 14 wraps of crack cocaine and 14 of heroin worth about £280 in total.
A mobile phone seized from Evans had ‘nothing on it’ to indicate drug dealing activity.
Evans, who was 20 at the time and originally from Liverpool, said nothing in police interview but went on to plead guilty to possession with intent to supply Class A heroin and crack cocaine and Class B cannabis resin on October 11 this year.
The defendant has no previous convictions, was classed as of good character and references were submitted to the court noting his interest in music and love of animals.
Legal discussions between Mr Hussey, His Honour Judge Simon Berkson and defence counsel Simon Christie determined that Evans’s involvement amounted to ‘lesser role’.
Judge Berkson said Evans appeared to have performed a ‘limited function under direction’, adding that ‘pressure might be the most appropriate’ term.
The court heard the defendant had been looking for accommodation around the time of the offences and discussions took place as to whether this amounted to financial gain, but it was decided not to be because of Evans’s difficulties in finding somewhere to live.
Mr Christie said his client’s involvement with drugs had not been ‘ingrained behaviour’ and he implored the judge to step back from imposing custody.
He said Evans had been ‘going through a very difficult period in his life and not getting an awful lot of help as would be expected’.
Judge curred.
Following sentencing, Evans was greeted by hugs and tears from his family.
Summing up the case, Judge Berkson said: “You are now 21 years of age; then you were 20.
“You were going through a very strange time in your life. Berkson con- ●
“I have seen you now, I have read a note from the police about you.
“It seems that you were embroiled in something for a very short time that you knew little about and were put upon by others to act in the way you did.
“You had the good sense to plead guilty at the earliest opportunity.”