He was showing off the proceeds of their crimes
Marley Hadfield and Thomas Crombie(Image: Hull Live)
A drug dealer lay on a bed covered in bank notes – to show off the proceeds of drug dealing on the streets of Hull. The photograph of Thomas Crombie was taken by his then girlfriend and accomplice, Marley Hadfield, but it showed only his face as the rest of him was covered in £10 and £20 notes.
A video was also shown at Hull Crown Court of Hadfield bragging about her success in the sale of Class A drugs on city streets. The evidence was shown before the pair were sentenced for drugs offences.
Crombie, 23, of Taylor Avenue, Hull, but recently in custody on remand, and Hadfield, 22, of Bainton Grove, Hull, both admitted possessing heroin and cocaine with intent to supply at premises in Carden Avenue, Hull, on June 12 last year. Crombie also admitted acquiring or possessing money as criminal property and possessing cannabis.
The court heard that Hadfield submitted a basis of plea about her role in the offences. A Humberside Police drugs expert analysed phones seized by police in a drugs raid in which officers discovered £10,000 worth of drugs and £10,000 in cash.
At court, the drugs expert said that the phones showed evidence of drug dealing. He said the messages on the phone did not show any evidence that Hadfield was under any pressure to sell drugs.
Defence barrister for Crombie, Richard Butters, claimed: “There was no evidence that he was controlling her – and the female was a point of contact for people who wanted drugs. They are jointly concerned.”
Hadfield claimed that she only sold drugs to people because she was “manipulated” by her boyfriend, whom she had known for four years, since their schoodays. Through tears, she claimed in court that she had never received anything in return financially for her dealing in Class A drugs.
“I’m not involved,” she claimed. “I got nothing for it. I only got a takeaway meal once. I could not refuse his request.
“I would have done anything for him because I loved him.” She told how she worked in a restaurant after leaving school and later worked in a care home.
But Crombie claimed that he had showered her with luxury clothes, gold and an electric bicycle. He said he had spent “tens of thousands of pounds” on her.
Oliver Shipley, prosecuting, said that Crombie was injured in a cycling accident and suffered an ankle injury. He used crutches to get around. Hadfield continued the operation to sell drugs, claimed Mr Shipley.
“When he was not able to deal in drugs, you picked up the slack,” claimed Mr Shipley. “You weighed the bags and dealt the drugs?” Hadfield denied that she controlled the operation.
Judge John Thackray KC dismissed Hadfield’s claims and decided that she was “a willing participant” in the drug dealing. Crombie was jailed for two years and three months. Hadfield was given a two-year suspended prison sentence, with 200 hours’ unpaid work and 15 days’ rehabilitation.
She will have to pay a £187 victims’ surcharge. The £5,000 cash seized will be forfeited and given to the St Paul’s boxing club charity, Hull.
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