They found messages he was sending out on Snapchat
Nathaniel Ansah appeared at Hull Crown Court(Image: Hull Live)
Four men involved in supplying cannabis were arrested in Bridlington after eagle-eyed police spotted them acting suspiciously – and taking pictures of a police car. They all hurriedly ran off but one of them was later found to have photographs on his phone advertising cannabis for sale.
He sent out “marketing messages” and was in charge of arranging his own stocks of cannabis, Hull Crown Court heard. Nathaniel Ansah, 20, admitted being concerned in supplying cannabis between October 1, 2024 and May 9 last year.
Oliver Shipley, prosecuting, said that, on May 8 last year, police in Bridlington saw four men acting suspiciously and taking photographs of a police car. Police approached them but all four ran off.
One of them threw items, including a mobile phone and two snapbags of cannabis, over a wall into a garden. All four men were searched and phones and cash were seized.
Ansah had £115 cash, a mobile phone and four snapbags of cannabis. The phone was examined and several Snapchat photographs of different types of cannabis in their bags were found.
There were related messages that he would send out to contacts on Snapchat advertising what he had for sale. The messages showed that he was active and had an awareness of drug dealing activity.
“He was responsible for obtaining his own stock and he was sending out marketing messages,” said Mr Shipley. The total value of all the cannabis seized, including from the others arrested, was £1,765.
It was a joint enterprise and the other three men had been been dealt with at Hull Magistrates’ Court. During police interview, Ansah made no comment to most questions.
He claimed that the money found was cashback from buying something at the Cooperative. He had no previous convictions.
Dan Lee, mitigating, said that the value of the drugs found on Ansah was £85. He was selling cannabis intermittently and using the money raised for everyday purchases.
“He described what he did as stupid,” said Mr Lee. “He was smoking cannabis but he tells me that he is not doing that any more. He is a low risk of reoffending.
“He has managed to stay on the right side of the law.” Ansah had joined a Scarborough football club and he had moved to London to enroll at college.
“He wants to join the Army and he has taken steps to do that,” said Mr Lee. He played for a semi-professional football club in London.
Recorder Brian Whitehead told Ansah: “You were spotted by the police acting suspiciously, arrested and you were found with some snapbags of cannabis, among other things. When your phone was checked, it was clear that you were dealing cannabis.
“Your role was at the bottom of the chain and you were selling direct to users. You recognise that it was a foolish thing to do.”
Ansah, of Gloucester Road, Croydon, London, was given 40 hours’ unpaid work and 15 days’ rehabilitation. The £115 cash seized will be forfeited and given to the St Paul’s boxing club charity, Hull. He will have to pay a £114 victims’ surcharge.
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