He has been jailed for three years
Stacy Ukaegbu admitted being concerned in supplying cocaine(Image: Humberside Police)
A convicted drug dealer found himself selling cocaine on the streets again when a previous debt finally caught up with him after he left prison. Police managed to identify him from CCTV pictures at a supermarket when he was buying top-up for a mobile phone that was being used for a drugs line.
During a search at his home, there were lighters that had the telephone number of the drugs line stuck on them, Hull Crown Court heard. Stacy Ukaegbu, 27, of Alexandra Road, off Beverley Road, Hull, admitted being concerned in supplying cocaine between September 30 and January 22.
Harry Bradford, prosecuting, said that, in November last year, police discovered a series of drugs lines operating in Hull, with text messages being sent to potential customers advertising the sale of Class A drugs. There were messages saying “On” – indicating that the person with the mobile phone was open for trading.
In some messages, Ukaegbu discussed available deals, when he would be able to meet buyers and payment.
There were also messages in which buyers discussed debts with Ukaegbu and drugs which were being given “on tick”. Ukaegbu was seen on CCTV pictures from a store in Newland Avenue, west Hull, buying mobile top-up for that phone.
Ukaegbu was seen in the Beverley Road area and he was stopped and arrested for being concerned in drugs supply. A warrant was issued for a search of his home in Alexandra Road.
Police found three mobile phones, £250 cash and a box of cigarette lighters with the drug line number stuck on them. The numbers of the three phones were linked to call data used for the drugs line.
During police interview, Ukaegbu answered “No comment” to all questions. He had convictions for six previous offences between July 2022 and October 2023, most of them for drugs offences.
They included possessing cocaine with intent to supply and supplying cocaine in July 2022 and being concerned in supplying heroin and cocaine in February 2023.
Rachel Scott, mitigating, said that when Ukaegbu was released from prison after an earlier jailing, he had a debt. He worked and earned legitimate money but the people involved in the debt caught up with him.
He was attacked and ended up being drawn back into drug dealing. There were positive character references for him and he had two children.
Ukaegbu was jailed for three years and four months. The £250 cash seized will be forfeited and given to the St Paul’s boxing club charity, Hull.
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