Mansfield man caught with mobile drugs shop went back to dealing to pay off debt

Steven Taylor was followed and pulled over by police on Portland Street, on October 12, 2020, just before 6pm, while driving a silver Vauxhall Astra with no insurance, Nottingham Crown Court heard.

Stuart Patterson, prosecuting, said that as soon as Taylor opened the door, officers saw hundreds of pounds in cash and smelled cannabis.

Taylor did not know how much cash there was, but a search revealed £1,740, with 166 grams of cannabis in two bags which could have fetched £1,660 on the street.

Taylor was on bail when he was stopped again on Southwell Road, on January 26, 2021, when he was driving a nearly new Skoda registered to a woman.

He told officers he was delivering for Hermes, said Mr Pattinson, but the numerous parcels did not contain items of shopping; they contained cannabis.

A further £115 in cash was found, along with 340g of cannabis, valued at £2,520, weighing scales and bags.

Analysis of his mobile phone showed he had been dealing since December 2019. Police experts added the figures on a dealer list to a total of 9,250 – but could not say if this referred to drugs or cash.

Mass adverts offering drugs were sent to as many as 96 people, Mr Pattinson said.

"Given the amounts involved, and the financial advantage that's clearly being made, I submit it is a significant role," he said.

Taylor, of Wellow Close, Mansfield, admitted possession and supplying cannabis, and acquiring criminal property.

Gregor Purcell, mitigating, said Stevens, now aged 26, only has one caution on his record, of a very different nature, and is entitled to full credit for his early guilty plea.

He said Stevens became a heavy cannabis user at the age of 14, following the death of his father, and sold drugs to support his own habit before dealing for profit.

He was forced to go back to dealing to pay off a debt accrued after his first arrest.

Ms Recorder Anitra Hussain sentenced him to a total of 20 months, suspended for two years, with 15 rehabilitation days and 140 hours of unpaid work.