Take this chance judge tells addict (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Take this chance judge tells addict

A 19-YEAR-OLD who was involved in supplying heroin and crack cocaine on the streets of Swindon has walked free from court.

Jamie Morgan was found with hundreds of pounds worth of the drugs after police shadowed him and another man in the town centre.

But after he claimed he was not actually selling the drugs but looking after them for someone else he was put on a drug rehabilitation order.

Colin Meeke, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court how Morgan was spotted by plain clothes police who were looking for drugs dealers on Thursday, July 21.

"They first spotted Mr Morgan at about 9.45am and decided to follow him and monitor his activities," he said. "That monitoring made it clear that he was meeting up periodically with a number of heroin addicts. He was positioning himself near The Parade in Swindon.

"He was seen to meet up with numerous groups.

"He was then seen to meet up with a man who has since evaded capture and the police are looking for.

"Having seen what police believe was sufficient evidence to arrest and charge the defendant and the person he was with they approached them.

"The other man managed to break free and having done so threw on the ground a number of packages that had the appearance of being heroin deals."

When Morgan's room was searched at the Salvation Army's Davis House hostel officers found a number of drugs.

Mr Meeke said that eight packages similar to those thrown to the ground by the other man were found.

They contained a total of 3.3 grams of heroin in roughly £20 street deals worth a total of £185.

Another 18 wraps were found to contain crack cocaine in £10 and £20 deals weighing a total of 4.43 grams worth a total of £220. Cannabis worth just over £50 was also recovered.

Morgan told police he was a heroin and crack addict and just looking after the drugs for someone. Morgan, formerly of Davis House, admitted three counts of possessing drugs with intent to supply.

Sarah Regan, defending, said that her client accepted he had the drugs but was simply holding on to them for another person.

"He was a custodian albeit he was going to get two bags as payment," she said.

Passing sentence, Judge John McNaught said: "People who get involved, even just as people who look after class A drugs for others, often go to prison and your taking two, three, four years, that sort of thing.

"Let's be in no doubt about what you are facing if this doesn't work but it seems a good time to try a drug rehabilitation order."

He imposed a two-year supervision order with condition he attends a drug rehabilitation course and Think First programme.

Gareth Bethell Crime reporter