A dealer was caught red-handed in central Carlisle with drugs worth almost £1,500 along with a burner phone and weapons has been given a prison sentence.
Two PCs watched as 22-year-old Reece Holmes carried out a transaction in the area of St Paul’s Square, off Spencer Street, on September 23 last year.
They searched Holmes, who resisted and attempted to flee but he was arrested.
Thirty-three knotted plastic packages containing 13.1g of cocaine cut with an adulterant were recovered from Holmes. So, too, were four foil packages bearing almost 10g of cannabis; 30 tramadol tablets; and 42 diazepam tablets. The drugs stash had a total potential street value of up to £1,465, Carlisle Crown Court heard.
A flick knife and knuckleduster were taken from Holmes, along with a burner mobile phone which contained messages exchanged with customers and also a price list saved in the ‘notes’ section.
Holmes, of Longholme Road, Carlisle, admitted possessing all the substances with intent to supply, and having the illegally-held implements in public.
He had no previous convictions and, the court heard, made candid admissions in the aftermath, saying he’d been dealing for around a year. “He wants to get his head down, and his sentence done,” said his lawyer, Marion Weir, of the prison term heading his way.
“You were giving instructions, prices and where to meet,” said Judge Nicholas Barker as he imposed a 32-month jail term. “I have no doubt that whilst you were doing this, you were well aware that should you be caught you would be receiving a custodial sentence. Well, that risk has matured.”
