Two teenagers were given suspended prison sentences after being caught drug dealing in Brighton at Lewes Crown Court today (Thursday 19 May).
Detectives spotted Michael Roberts and Davontay Williams, both 19, selling heroin and crack cocaine in Craven Vale and Queen’s Park in March.
The pair were arrested as part of a Sussex Police operation known as Op Extreme which started in September and has led to more than 60 arrests.
They were ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work each over the next 12 months as part of a community order imposed by Judge Stephen Mooney.
Roberts and Williams were part of a “county lines” set up, operating a phone known as the “Jay” of “J” line.
Sussex Police said: “On the morning of Tuesday 8 March, plain-clothed officers from Brighton’s Community Investigations Team observed Michael Roberts and Davontay Williams drug dealing in Hadlow Close and Queen’s Park, in close proximity to groups of school children.
“They were traced to a property in Hadlow Close and arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of class A drugs.
“Williams, 19, of Tavistock Road, in Croydon, was found with a Nokia mobile phone containing drug marketing texts such as ‘back on the whole night J’ and ‘bk on J’ – indicators of the county line known as ‘Jay’.
“Roberts, 19, of Atlantic Crescent, in Brent, was in possession of 59 wraps of crack cocaine, 17 wraps of heroin, another mobile phone and around £100 in cash.
“Both pleaded guilty to supplying crack cocaine and heroin and at Lewes Crown Court on Thursday 19 May were given 18-month jail sentences, suspended for 18 months, and ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work and attend up to 30 rehabilitation sessions.”
Earlier this week, tenant representatives on the Craven Vale estate complained to Brighton and Hove City Council about addicts and former addicts and known drug dealers being housed near each other on the estate.
Their penalty is about 4 hours per week soft labour for a year. For selling filthy stuff that can make people crazy, can kill people, which is so addictive that people will steal and rob to get it. Utterly pathetic sentence. And if they don’t bother even turning up nothing will happen to them. Maybe this is one of the reasons you can’t walk through town without smelling weed and seeing people taking drugs and even doing deals right there in busy streets and in the parks.
How can you not go to prison for selling heroin????