A Carlisle heroin dealer who supplied the class A drug to friends has been handed a 27-month prison sentence.
Alistair David Pape, 39, was caught out after police executed a warrant at his home on March 25.
Officers found Pape on a stool in the kitchen appearing to try to retrieve or conceal something, Carlisle Crown Court heard today. He was told to get down, was secured and his address was searched.
Police found a number of items, including weighing scales and drugs, some of which were located in a cupboard wall void. A total of 40.3g of heroin was recovered, with a potential street value of just over £2,000. Another bag of brown powder was tested and found to be an adulterant.
When initially quizzed by police, Pape provided a prepared statement denying offending. He later admitted possession heroin with intent to supply on the basis that he was supplying to his friends.
As Pape, of Garden Street, Carlisle, was sentenced it was said he had 27 previous crimes on his record. This included past drugs supply offending.
Judith McCullough, defending, said Pape was under no illusion of how close he had come to losing his life amid spiralling drug use. During three months on remand in custody he had been dangerously ill and received emergency medical treatment.
But he had also been addressing his drugs misuse, attempting to undertake college courses and wished to lead a drug-free, law-abiding life. “It is hoped that these proceedings could be a catalyst for change for this defendant,” said Ms McCullough.
Jailing Pape — and referring to his past crimes — Judge Richard Archer told him: “When police searched your home and discovered evidence of your drug dealing, I suspect you rather knew then what the inevitable outcome of that behaviour would be.”
