Young dealer jailed after stop search in uncovered drug op

Jack Case was described by a Crown Court judge as "bright enough to know what he was getting into". The 24-year-old, of St Helens Road, Rainford, was travelling in a car with three other passengers along the M62 in Warrington when the vehicle was stopped by police and he was searched for drugs, Liverpool Crown Court heard. Prosecuting, Steven Swift said Case was the front passenger in a Mercedes SUV travelling along the stretch of motorway on the morning of August 8.

A stop search was conducted by on-patrol officers after the car had smelt of cannabis. "The defendant was stop searched and had his hand covering his crotch. During the search his crotch area was bulging," Mr Swift said.

"A bag of cannabis was found, and he was arrested on suspicion of intent to supply." Police raided the defendant's home address in St Helens and discovered a cocktail of drugs all divided into packages, along with two sets of scales and GBP600 in cash. Mr Swift detailed the exact quantity of drugs that Case was found to have been warehousing for a large-scale drug operation.

This included 126 grams of cocaine valued between GBP4,000 and GBP6,000, two packages of 2CB (a psychedelic drug) weighing 12.8 grams and 27.3 grams and valuing between GBP1,300 and GBP1350. There were 28 containers of THC recovered, valued between GBP290 and GBP560, and nine bags of cannabis totalling to just under half a kilo and valued between GBP31,705 and GBP77,950. Lastly a quantity of 344.8 grams of ketamine was found at the home valued between GBP24,750 and GBP29,250.

Case was interviewed by police and made no comment. Before Case's defence barrister began mitigation, Case's mother was called to the stand. She spoke of her son's bright nature and promising career prior to the revelation of the offences, noting that Case had left high school and started an apprenticeship and was "very successful within the company".

"The role came with a lot of pressure. From previous trauma, he was struggling with his mental health," she said. The woman added that Case had spent a lot of his own money on counselling to try and deal with his past trauma.

Defending, Mr Swift said: "It is a very sad state of affairs for this lad who was doing very well." Concluding the sentencing, Judge Gary Woodhall said: "He is a bright young man. He is bright enough to know what he was getting involved with.

There is a marked difference between those who are being exploited and those who should know better." Continuing, Mr Woodhall said: "You have tried to change your life since these offences. You have obtained a teaching qualification in sport."

He added: "You were acting as the warehouse man for others."

Case was sentenced for intent to supply class A and class B drugs as well as ketamine and was served 3.5 years in jail.