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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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UK: Cannabis dealer avoids jail term
Wiltshire Times
Friday 20 Apr 2007 A DRUG-DEALER who fled the country after being caught with more than a kilogram of cannabis has been given a suspended sentence. Jack Pearce, 26, of Chapel Road, Heytesbury, sold the drugs to fund his own heroin and crack cocaine addictions but a judge sitting at Swindon Crown Court decided not to jail him at a hearing yesterday. After hearing how Pearce went on the run in France for three months while awaiting sentence Judge John McNaught imposed a 36-week sentence suspended for two years. advertisement Colin Meeke, prosecuting, said Pearce's van was stopped by police on the A350 at 11.30pm on April 13 last year as they were concerned about the way it was being driven. When one of the officers went to the front window he could smell cannabis so conducted a search under the Misuse of Drugs Act. In the vehicle they found more than a kilogram of cannabis, about 100 milligrams of heroin, more than six grams of cocaine and a small amount of cannabis leaf. They also recovered £5,677 in cash. Mr Meeke said when he was questioned Pearce admitted he had heroin and crack cocaine addictions for some time. He told police he had become addicted to heroin when he was just 16 years old and crack cocaine just three or four years ago. The court was told he had previous convictions for drugs matters including possessing cannabis with intent to supply from 1999. He admitted charges of offering to supply cannabis between January 1 and April 14 last year and possessing heroin, cocaine and cannabis on April 13. Tim Hills, defending, said: "This case is an example of what can be led into by starting experimenting with cannabis. It got worse and worse and worse. "He was a young man trying to keep a job; he is a qualified electrician, with a drug addiction to crack cocaine." He said that after fleeing to France to get clean of drugs last year after admitting what he had done, he was arrested in mid March on his return. Since then he had been in custody at HMP Horfield Prison in Bristol and managed to stay off drugs while inside. He said that on his release his father William Pearce was prepared to offer him a home at Pickle Farm, Deverill Road, in Sutton Veny. Mr Hills said his client, a self-employed electrician, also had an offer of work should he be released. Passing sentence the judge told Pearce: "We in the courts hate people who get involved in drugs because we see it every day and the misery it causes and wrecks their lives and drives them to crime." In addition to the suspended sentence, Pearce was placed on supervision for 18 months, a drug rehabilitation requirement for six months and will have to complete a substance related offending programme. http://www.thisiswiltshire.co.uk/display.var.1344124.0.cannabis_dealer_avoids_jail_term.php
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