A south Essex drug dealer caught with a zombie knife has been given a last chance at freedom after experts said there was hope he could be rehabilitated.
Essex Police stopped and searched Dylan Nabelski at 1.20am on March 23 as he rode around Southend on an e-scooter.
He was carrying 15 individual deals of crack cocaine, a flip knife, cannabis and a syringe.
When officers searched his rucksack, they also found prescription drugs diazepam and pregabalin.
A search warrant executed at his home in Vallance Close, Southend, unearthed a zombie knife, more drugs and drug dealing paraphernalia.
Nabelski, who clutched his cheek throughout a court hearing on Thursday (August 20) and complained of severe toothache, had 16 prior convictions for offences including burglary, theft, handling stolen goods and drugs possession.
When he appeared at court after his March arrest, he pleaded guilty to six new offences: possessing a Class A drug with intent to supply; possessing a Class B drug; two counts of possessing a Class C drug; possessing a bladed article in a public place; and possessing an offensive weapon in a private place.
Defence barrister Jack Coyne told Thursday's sentencing hearing at Basildon Crown Court that Nabelski was himself a drug addict, dealing not for personal gain but to work off a debt.
“There is a significant amount of pressure on Mr Nabelski to involve himself in the drug dealing,” he said.
“The advantage of paying back the debt is to not have the violence meted out on oneself that would otherwise have come… Bricks through windows or legs broken or whatever they were at the time.”
He added: “Mr Nabelski tells me that his debt has reduced somewhat, though not completely, and given the ongoing proceedings he has managed to have some respite from those that were putting pressure on him.”
Recorder Marie Spenwyn sentenced Nabelski to two years and three months in prison, suspended for two years.
Ordering him to complete drugs rehabilitation and mental health programmes, she warned that if he committed any offence in the next two years – even simple cannabis possession – he could expect the prison sentence to be activated.
“Trying to deal with addiction is a long road,” she said. “It’s not an easy process and most people fail. They only succeed if they know they want to change.
“Mr Coyne tells me that you want to change. I can only take that from him. But only you can make that happen. Nobody else.”
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