Northampton man, 27, spared jail after being caught with hundreds of pounds of Class A drugs

'If you don't do what you're told, you won't be given a second chance'
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A Northampton man was spared jail on Friday (July 16) despite being caught with hundreds of pounds of Class A drugs.

Police officers spotted Dalton McGregor on a bicycle in Whitworth Road with a group of people on November 16 2019, which led to officers believing he was dealing drugs.

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Officers approached the 27-year-old, in Roe Road where he lives, and searched him for drugs.

Northampton Crown CourtNorthampton Crown Court
Northampton Crown Court

They found two tubs containing 10 individual wraps of heroin in each, along with 21 wraps of crack cocaine, with a total street value of between £310 and £410, the court heard.

Ben Gow, prosecuting, said that when McGregor was arrested, he told police he was trying to help his brother with money.

Mr Gow said: "He [McGregor] made comments to suggest he was dealing to help his brother, who he said owes lots of money. Mr McGregor also said he wanted to be stopped so that no-one will let him work for him now. But when later interviewed he replied, 'no comment'.

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"He's dealing, essentially for a financial advantage, he says, to help somebody else."

After being arrested and released on bail, McGregor was caught again in March 2020 with five wraps of crack cocaine by police, which he said was for personal use, the court heard.

But Daniel Green, defending McGregor, said the defendant has made steps to remove himself from the drug culture.

Mr Green said: "He's tried to remove himself from the peer group that he was involved with that led to him being dragged into this situation.

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"He is somebody that, having made some steps away from the drug culture and drug use, that, with a little bit of assistance in the community, could help this young man back into a position where he can reengage in the community and be positive."

Judge David Herbert said: "I accept you became involved in Class A drug dealing to help your brother, who had become involved with a drugs debt, and also you expressed some relief being arrested when the police did arrest you.

"And so I will sentence you on that basis, which, to an extent, reduces the seriousness of what you were involved in. But any Class A drug dealing is viewed very seriously by these courts given the difficulties and issues that it causes on the streets, let alone to people's health."

The judge said the starting point for offences such as this is 32 months, which would be reduced by 25 per cent due to McGregor's guilty plea.

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Given that the reduced sentence was 24 months, the judge gave McGregor a suspended sentence for 21 months and ordered him to complete 120 hours of unpaid work and attend drug rehabilitation sessions.

"If you don't do what you're told to do, you will be found in breach of the order and come back before a judge in this court, very likely me, because I sit here all the time, and you won't be given a second chance," Judge Herbert added.