Police found a haul of heroin and crack cocaine worth nearly £2,000 inside a house after eagle-eyed officers spotted two shady drug deals being carried out in an alleyway.
Two known drug users were seen meeting up with a man for just a few seconds each while the furtive secret exchanges took place. A large number of knotted drug-deal bags were later found on the floor of the house, Hull Crown Court heard.
Shane Batty, 38, of Alliance Avenue, off Spring Bank West, Hull, admitted possessing heroin and crack cocaine with intent to supply on March 5 last year.
Fintan Molloy, prosecuting, said that plainclothes police on patrol in Alexandra Road, Hull, at 11am saw a known drug user on a bicycle and followed the person to Hardy Street. They saw Batty leave a house there and go to an alleyway with the drug user for a few seconds.
Batty went back inside the house and police called in support. Another known drug user arrived and Batty again left the house and met the person in the alleyway. He walked to a shop, where he was arrested by police. The keys to the property and £30 cash were found on him.
The house was searched. A search revealed a plastic bag on the floor. It contained 124 knotted bags of heroin, with a street value of £1,240, and 71 knitted bags of crack cocaine, valued at £710. The total street value of the drugs was £1,930.
Batty later denied the offences. He had convictions for 56 previous offences, two of them for drug offences of producing and possessing cannabis in 2012 and 2013. He had been jailed for 10 months for domestic burglary in 2019.
Cathy Kioko-Gilligan, mitigating, said that Batty claimed that he was involved in drug dealing for one day only. “He has not committed any further offences,” said Miss Kioko-Gilligan.
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Batty had previously been working with a drugs agency and he had been on methadone prescription that had reduced significantly. He had made progress and there had been a significant gap in his offending since 2019.
At the time of the drugs offences, there had been a downward spiral in Batty’s life and he found himself being taken advantage of because of this. “He has voluntarily given up his accommodation because he wanted to rid himself of negative influences,” said Miss Kioko-Gilligan.
“The defendant keeps himself to himself. He has turned a corner and is turning his life around.”
Batty was given a two-year suspended prison sentence, six months’ drug rehabilitation and 20 days’ rehabilitation.
Recorder Ayesha Smart told him: “If you breach the terms of this order, you could have this sentence activated in full. You have complied historically with court orders. I am prepared to take a chance with you. This really is your last chance.”
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