A budding young Hull FC rugby player turned in despair to cannabis – and ended up furtively dealing drugs in a cemetery – after disaster struck and he had to give up a dream scholarship.
Lennon Milner fell into a drug debt and was told that he could pay the money off by acting as a runner for cocaine and cannabis dealing. His disgusted girlfriend later deleted all the drug-related contacts on his mobile phone, Hull Crown Court heard.
Milner, 23, of West Parade, west Hull, admitted being concerned in supplying cocaine and cannabis on October 29.
Chloe Pinches, prosecuting, said that plainclothes police in Princes Avenue, west Hull, saw a man going into the nearby cemetery in Spring Bank West at 11am and meeting up with Milner. The area was known for drug dealing. Police detained Milner and found a mobile phone and cash on him.
While the search was going on, the police noticed that three men had approached and were asking things about drug dealing, including “Have you got any white?” – a reference to cocaine. “The males left when they noticed that the defendant had been detained,” said Miss Pinches.
Milner was arrested and his phone was examined. There were messages relating to good quality cannabis in stock. He was being directed in messages to various places where he would supply drugs to others. During police interview, he made no comment to all questions. He had convictions as a youth in 2018 for unrelated matters.
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The court heard that Milner owed a drug debt at the time and he had been told that he could work that off by acting as a drugs runner. He was provided with cocaine and cannabis. He had no influence on those above him in the chain. He claimed that £510 cash seized from him was not the proceeds of drug dealing but from the sale of a gold chain for £700 the day before.
Rachel Scott, mitigating, said that Milner previously won a scholarship to play rugby for Hull FC and he played there for a long time until a medical condition came to light. “Stupidly, he turned to cannabis and then went on from there,” said Miss Scott.
“Unfortunately, he got himself in quite a mess. He has not taken any drugs in seven weeks.” His girlfriend went through his phone and deleted any contacts with links to drugs. There had been “a real change in him” and they had two very young children.
“He has pulled himself together,” said Miss Scott. He massively regretted his actions, the court heard.
Milner was given an 18-month suspended prison sentence and 15 days’ rehabilitation. He was ordered to pay £510 costs. This will be taken from the cash that was seized by the police.