Police found a bag of drugs between his buttocks
A repeat drug dealer who had already been jailed for cocaine dealing made the “exceptionally stupid” decision to ignore his licence conditions and start brazenly selling drugs on the streets of Hull again. Ahmad Barry was one of those dealers who “take all the risks for a limited reward” while others further up the chain were “sitting back in houses and reaping the reward” from drug sales, Hull Crown Court heard.
Barry, 25, recently in custody on remand, admitted possessing heroin and crack cocaine with intent to supply and possessing cannabis in Hull on April 23. He pleaded guilty on the second day of a scheduled trial.
Nadim Bashir, prosecuting, said that plainclothes police in the Beverley Road area of Hull saw a group of suspected drug users gathered at the bottom of Adderbury Grove, off Beverley Road, and close to a pedestrian cut-through onto Tunis Street – a “well-known place to score drugs”. Barry approached the group on a bicycle, began talking to them and passed over suspected drugs in exchange for money.
He cycled away but the police followed him. He was stopped and searched. He had a bag of cannabis, valued at £15, and £94 cash. He was strip-searched at Clough Road police station and a bag of drugs was found between his buttocks.
There were four wraps of heroin, valued at £50, and six wraps of crack cocaine, valued at £130. He refused to provide the security code for his mobile phone. During interview, he claimed to know nothing about the drugs or cash.
Barry had convictions for 12 previous offences, including being jailed for three years and four months in December 2021 for supplying cocaine, with an extra eight months in February 2022 for possessing a blade.
David Godfrey, mitigating, said that they were serious offences and Barry was on licence at the time for other serious matters. “He is a decent lad who has done something exceptionally stupid for a second time,” said Mr Godfrey.
Barry came to this country at the age of 14 and settled down but he later became involved with people that he should not have done. “Often, it’s the lads on the street who take all the risks for a limited reward,” said Mr Godfrey.
“There’s some financial element to it. He was at the front line. There are people sitting back in houses and reaping the reward while people like him take all the risks.”
Barry, of Grammar Street, Sheffield, was jailed for four years and three months. The £94 cash seized will be forfeited and given to the St Paul’s boxing club, Hull.