Northampton man jailed after concerns raised by park-goers about drug dealing

Daniel William Smith, formerly of Glebe Road, Buckton Fields, appeared at Northampton Crown Court on October 1 for sentencing, after he pleaded guilty to two counts of possession with intent to supply Class A drugs, namely heroin and crack cocaine – and one of possession of an offensive weapon in a public place.

On March 6, 2024, Northamptonshire Police received a call about a man who was reportedly openly dealing drugs in and around Kingsthorpe Recreational Ground on a regular basis.

Acting on the intelligence, officers went to the park shortly before 2.30pm that afternoon and saw three men sitting on a park bench. As they approached, 45-year-old Smith threw items on the floor, stood up and went to walk off towards Welford Road before he was arrested.

During a search of Smith, officers seized 130 individual wraps of heroin and 47 deals of crack cocaine along with £90 in cash, two black iPhones and a knuckle duster. A further three mobile phones and £95 in cash were retrieved near the bench.

Sergeant Scott Garbett, of Operation Revive West, said: “I would like to thank the member of the public who reported their concerns about Daniel Smith, who was openly dealing drugs in plain sight of visitors to the park.

“The arrest and subsequent conviction of Smith was a direct result of this community intelligence, and I would urge anyone who has similar concerns about drug dealing within their local communities to keep reporting suspicious activity to us.

“Tackling and preventing drug harm is a matter of priority for the force and we will continue to act on information to disrupt those who prey on the most vulnerable people in our society and bring misery to our streets and communities.”

Smith was sentenced to 40 months in prison and ordered to pay a £228 surcharge, while a forfeiture and destruction order was made to destroy the Class A drugs and knuckle duster.

The presiding judge also made a forfeiture application under Section 27 of the Misuse of Drugs Act, for the seized money (£185) to be redirected to the Northamptonshire Community Fund, which provides financial support to charities.