Suspended sentence for dealer

A teenage cannabis dealer has been given a suspended detention sentence, with a three-month night-time curfew.

Alex Winfield (18) admitted possessing cannabis with intent to supply it in July last year.

Leicester Crown Court was told that when police searched his address in Greenacre Drive, Goodwood, Leicester, they found five wraps of cannabis, totalling seven grams and worth about £45.

Incriminating text messages relating to cannabis dealing, involving 17 different phone numbers, were found on his mobile.

ENJOY YOUR EVE WITH FREE ENTRANCE & 20% OFF YOUR FOOD BILL WITH...

Leicester's ONLY Lebanese Cuisine - Cedars Bar & Restaurant 46/48 Church Gate Leicester LE1 4AJ

View details

Print voucher

NEW LEBANESE HOME BUFFET EVERY DAY @ CEDARS LEBANESE REST £ 6.99 pp STARTING @ 11 AM TILL 16:00 PM

Terms: LIMITED VOUCHERS AVAILABLE BOOK IN ADVANCE ONLY & PRINT THIS VOUCHERS CALL NOW : 01162519057

Contact: 0116 2169184

Valid until: Saturday, May 25 2013

Officers also found two passports which were taken during a house burglary in 2009.

Winfield admitted possessing the passports, after they were stolen, and having a prohibited weapon, a pepper spray can.

Kate Ryle, mitigating, said: "He has no previous convictions and there's no evidence he had anything to do with the burglary in 2009.

"He had the passports for a matter of months and didn't plan to do anything with them.

"He began dealing in cannabis to fund his own use and it grew in momentum.

"He supplied others on a small scale for a modest financial advantage."

Winfield claimed he was offered the pepper spray because there was a demand for it on his estate as "people were getting robbed".

Miss Ryle said Winfield, who has been on a motor mechanics course, was keen to acquire his driving licence to obtain legitimate work.

Winfield received a six-month detention sentence, suspended for 12 months, with a three- month 8pm to 8am electronically-monitored curfew.

He was also ordered to do 150 hours of unpaid work.

Judge Robert Brown said: "I'm suspending the sentence because of your age and it's the first time you've appeared in court.

"You've pleaded guilty at the earliest possible moment.

"You've made a clean breast of it and I'm told you're totally shocked by the prospect of losing your liberty."