A DRUG dealer who would take up to seven grams of cocaine a day to feed his habit was found armed in a park with a bag stuffed with £10,000 worth of cannabis.
William Lamb, 31, broke down to police officers following his arrest in Eastwood, telling them he had an entrenched addiction to cocaine and had amassed heaps of debt.
His arrest came when plain clothed police officers responded to a tip off by a member of the public that drug dealing was taking place in St Laurence Park on Eastwoodbury Lane on May 10 last year.
The officers approached a bench where Lamb was sat with another man.
Upon inspection of the area, they saw that behind Lamb was a bag, which contained nearly a kilogram of cannabis.
Mitigating, Callum Munday said: “He himself is addicted to drugs and was consuming up to six or seven grams of cocaine a day.
“This addiction took a significant toll on his health, it got him into considerable debt.
“He had to pay off the debt to fund his own habit.
“He was reduced to tears in police custody and the same has happened today.
“He is fearful of immediate custody.
“It’s a great shame he fell into the cycle of addiction and offending.”
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When Lamb, of Broomfield Avenue, Leigh, was arrested, officers found two wraps of cocaine in his pocket along with £870 in cash and a mobile phone, which linked him to drug dealing in the Southend area.
He also had a CS gas canister on him.
Lamb appeared at Basildon Crown Court where he admitted possession of the canister, cocaine and cash, he also admitted being concerned in the supply of Class B drugs.
Mr Munday said Lamb had not offended since the incident last year and was working with the Southend Treatment And Recovery Service (Stars) to curb his addiction, and that the debt has since been paid off.
Judge Ian Graham chose not to send Lamb to prison and gave him two years suspended for two years, along with 200 hours of unpaid work.
He said: “If you were foolish enough to go back to dealing drugs you would undoubtedly face a lengthy prison sentence.”
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