JUST IN - Student, 20, jailed for dealing cannabis (From Stroud News and Journal)

JUST IN - Student, 20, jailed for dealing cannabis

5:06pm Thursday 9th September 2010 in News By SNJ Reporter

A 20 year old Chalford man who was due to start a university course later this month has been jailed today for cannabis dealing.

Joseph Richards, of High st, Chalford, was selling the drug to at least 20 regular customers, Gloucester crown court was told.

police raided his home last November and found evidence including lists of customers and the amounts they owed, said Julian Kesner, prosecuting.

Richards was arrested again in February this year when more dealings lists were found, added Mr Kesner.

Richards admitted possessing cannabis with intent to supply on 21st November last year, two charges of possessing the drug and one of possessing amphetamines.

Judge William Hart sentenced him to 15 months detention, telling him that it would make a mockery of the legal system if he were to let him walk free from court.

"Yours is a very sad case," said the judge. "In January 2008 when you were 17 you were in possession of cannabis and MDMA (Ecstasy) wiith intent to supply and you got a community rehabilitation order.

"You knew during that three year order that if you re-offended, particularly by committing drug supply offences, you would be liable to be re-sentenced for those offences.

"Against that background you have been caught again with cannabis with intent to supply. The evidence makes it entirely clear you were an active young dealer to a circle of people you knew.

"You were selling not inconsiderable amounts of cannabis to them and making money from it.

"Someone who deals in drugs when they are subject to a court order after previous drugs supplying offences can expect to receive only one sentence, and that is immediate custody.

"No other sentence could be justified. It would make a mockery of the system if I were to accede to the submissions so ably put forward by your counsel. "

The judge said he acknowledged, however, that since his last arrest Richards had done everything he could to change his life for the better, including voluntarty work and further education.

"The sentence I have imposed gives me no pleasure at all and does not do what is in your best interests," Judge Hart said. "But what is in your best interests is only part of the picture in the sentencing exercise.

"I have other considerations and they lead me to the conclusion, sadly, that only a custodial sentence can be justified."

Mr Kesner had told the court that last November police found lists in Richards' bedrook which showed that 20 customers owed him £4,000 for cannabis. Clingfilm, re-sealable bags, £760 in cash and 3 mobile phones in his bedroom all confirmed he was a dealer.

There were texts on the phones which also showed that he was dealing, Mr Kesner said.

Under the garden shed officers found 146.76 grams of cannabis together with more clingfilm and electronic scales.

In February this year Richards was stopped by police in his car and had cannabis and amphetamine. Again, lists were found together with £480 cash.

Giles Nelson, defending, said Richards was supplying a circle of friends rather than strangers on the street.

Richards had obtained a Btech in media studies in Stroud since his arrest and now had a place on a 3 year University course in East London, he said.

"He has broken away from the group of friends involved in this case and he has stopped smoking cannabis," said Mr Nelson, who urged the court to pass a suspended sentence.

Richards' mother, Elizabeth, told the court he had 'really matured' and had turned his life around. He now needed to get away from Stroud so that he was not persuaded by others to do 'totally foolish' things, she said.