An “active” drug dealer supplemented his state benefit by selling cocaine, amphetamine and cannabis to help pay off a debt that he ran up after buying a vehicle.
Stephen Burns allowed his home to be used for “warehousing” drugs for an “organised criminal gang” and, as part of the arrangement, another man had a key to the property, Hull Crown Court heard.
Burns, 56, of Newtown Court, off Southcoates Lane, east Hull, admitted possessing cocaine, amphetamine and cannabis with intent to supply and possessing £985 cash as criminal property on September 14, 2021.
Molly Minter, prosecuting, said that police executed a search warrant at the home of Burns at 9.10am and found cocaine, amphetamine and cannabis in packs and larger bags. There were weighing scales, a knuckleduster and £985 cash.
The total weights of the drugs were 76.56g of cocaine, 81g of amphetamine and 429.3g of cannabis. The total estimated street value was more than £11,000.
A mobile phone revealed that there were drug supply messages and that Burns was allowing customers to buy drugs “on tick”. There were names and the amounts owed by customers paying “on tick”.
During police interview, Burns claimed that the drugs found were not his and that he was looking after them for a man, but he would not name him. He claimed that he was in debt to a man from buying a vehicle and he was having to allow that person to use his home to store drugs to pay off the debt. The man had a key to the property.
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Burns had convictions for 56 previous offences, including two of supplying amphetamine. His most recent ones were four environmental protection offences involving fly tipping.
Rachel Scott, mitigating, said that Burns had been out of trouble for serious offending for 25 years. He pleaded guilty at an early stage. There had been a significant delay in the case reaching court. “The delay in this case is inexplicable,” said Miss Scott.
Recorder Marco Giuliani said that Burns seemed to have been “warehousing” the drugs for an “organised criminal gang” and this was accepted by the prosecution. “It’s clear that you were an active drug dealer at the time and you were doing it for profit to supplement your state benefit,” said Recorder Giuliani.
Burns was given a 16-month suspended prison sentence, 40 hours’ unpaid work, a six-month monitoring order and 15 days’ rehabilitation. The £985 cash seized will be forfeited and given to charity.