Judge describes drug dealing as an ‘evil trade’

A judge has said it is quite shocking that a man became involved in the ‘evil trade of drugs dealing’ at the age of just eighteen.
Bishop Street courthouse.Bishop Street courthouse.
Bishop Street courthouse.

Judge Philip Babington made the comment as he sentenced Jordan Young, of Glenshane Road, Claudy, to eighty hours of community service and two years of probation.

The 20-year-old pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of cocaine and cannabis and possessing the class A and B drugs with intent to supply over a five month period beginning in December 2017.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Derry Crown Court heard police on traffic duty in Eglinton stopped the defendant’s car and noticed a strong smell of cannabis coming from his car.

They searched the vehicle and found two plastic bags containing 13.5 grams of cocaine and just over 20 grams of cannabis, some of it in self seal bags.

Two mobile phones and £380 in cash were also seized by the police.

The phones were forensically examined and text messages relating to drug supply were found. They showed he sold both drugs for cash and also offered them on strap.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Passing sentence, Judge Babington described Young as a ‘street dealer’ who supplied cannabis to around seven people and cocaine to three.

The judge added: “It does not seem that he made any great money out of his drug dealing which was fairly limited. It appears to have been for living expenses” and in particular the expense of running a car.

He said it is ‘serious offending’ and ‘it is quite shocking when someone of such tender years as you becomes involved in this evil trade’.

The judge told Young: “You were very much at the periphery of it and it seems that when you were involved you were eighteen at the very start and it may just be that your arrest by the police and your apparent conversion may have come in time”.

Judge Babington ordered that the £380 found in the defendant’s car should be donated to the locally based charity H.U.R.T.