Kettering drug dealer's idiotic attempt to try and pay back debt

A man was caught with more than 250 wraps of class A drugs in Kettering after making an 'idiotic' decision to try and pay back his debts by dealing.

Jayden Gray, 23, had the stash of crack cocaine and heroin hidden in his car when he was stopped by police in Lake Avenue.

Yesterday (Monday) Northampton Crown Court heard the addict began dealing after his work dried up because of Covid, leaving him with financial and drug debts to pay.

But, jailing him for two years and eight months, His Honour Judge Rupert Mayo told him: "It was a very idiotic decision to take."

At about 12.30pm on July 24 this year Gray was driving on the A14 when he came off the dual carriageway to go to Kettering's town centre.

Prosecuting, Ben Gow said police had reason to stop him and pulled him over in Lake Avenue.

When they searched the car they found two small white plastic bags concealed behind the vehicle's plastic trim. In those bags was a stash of drugs which indicated he was involved in street dealing.

Police recovered 160 wraps of crack cocaine, weighing 10.8g and with a street value of about £1,600, as well as 97 wraps of heroin, weighing 8.36g, with a street value of £890.

Mr Gow said: "He is playing a significant role."

Gray, who took a holdall into the dock in anticipation of a prison sentence, was interviewed by police and gave no comment answers.

He later admitted two counts of possessing class A drugs with intent to supply.

He showed remorse when interviewed by a probation officer and said he had been involved in the supply of drugs since March, the court heard.

Sentencing guidelines said his offence carried a starting point of four-and-a-half years in prison, with a range of three-and-a-half years to seven years.

Mitigating, Harry Laidlaw urged Judge Mayo to take an "exceptional" course of action and bring it down to a level which could be suspended.

He said Gray, who was most recently of Peckham, had financial difficulties and a drug debt of his own and began dealing after losing work.

He said: "He was struggling to keep his head above board.

"He was working on a zero hours contract but it dried up as a result of Covid...he fell into the wrong crowd."

Mr Laidlaw added that Gray had stopped using drugs with the support of his family, who were in the public gallery, and that the court case would be a turning point in his life whatever the outcome.

He said: "He is deeply ashamed of his actions and aware what he did was very wrong."

Sentencing, Judge Mayo told Gray that the significant amount of drugs found suggested he was not a small player and that he would have been aware of the misery they caused.

Gray will serve up to half of his sentence of two years and eight months in custody and the remainder on licence.

He will also face proceedings under the Proceeds of Crime Act next year.