Drugs courier caught supplying heroin and crack cocaine to dealers in Sutton

Plain clothes police stopped Jayden Watts on Tudor Street and a search of the car he was in uncovered 12 wraps of heroin and 19 wraps of crack, at 2.30pm on December 6, 2022.

A search of his home revealed a small amount of cannabis and £360 in cash, Nottingham Crown Court was told.

Watts, now aged 22, told police he was paying off a cannabis debt and had been paid £200 to deliver the drugs to local dealers.

Nottingham Crown Court heard he has a previous conviction for conspiracy to supply cannabis in 2021.

Recorder Stuart Sprawson described him as a “foot soldier” who sat in a car during a two kilogram cannabis deal between Nottingham and Birmingham drug gangs.

"He took his trial on the basis he just happened to be there but the jury didn't accept this,” said Gareth Gimson prosecuting.

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Raglan Ashton, mitigating, said Watts has waited a long time to be sentenced and deserved credit for his early guilty plea.

“He has had a difficult life,” he said. "He has sought to address his drug problem. He had a significant drug habit and accrued debts.”

He described Watts, who now works as a roofer, as “vulnerable" and said he was “exploited, pressured and threatened”.

He is at low risk of re-offending and immediate custody would affect his elderly grandmother who relies upon him.

“He came into contact with sophisticated criminals who were operating at the higher end of drug dealing," said Mr Ashton.

“He knew if he didn't return the money there would be consequences. We are dealing with just over ten grams of drugs. He has turned his life around.”

Watts, of Bramhall Road, Nottingham, admitted possession of a class B drug and possession with intent to supply two class A drugs, at Nottingham magistrates' court in February 2023.

On Wednesday, Recorder Sprawson told Watts he played a lesser role for limited financial gain. He received a nine-month prison sentence, suspended for 15 months, with 100 hours of unpaid work and 15 rehabilitation days.