Young Derbyshire dad caught with crack and heroin street deals handed second chance by judge

Joseph Webster, 21, was found with bags of both drugs “in his anus” during a strip search at an address in Grangewood in April 2022.

The raid came as part of a police operation while looking for addresses which had been “cuckooed” – meaning homes which have been hijacked by criminals for exploitation.

Webster and another man were found inside and both gave false details, a prosecutor told Derby Crown Court.

A strip search of Webster uncovered twenty-four £10 deals each of heroin and crack worth £240.

His co-accused was carrying a “burner” phone down his trousers with drug dealing messages.

The prosecutor said Webster had played a “significant role” with “some awareness” of the scale of the operation and an expectation of “significant reward”.

His barrister said since the offence Webster had “dragged himself up” to get a job and had a young child which he saw three times a week, whose mother he was on “good terms with”.

The barrister added: “He wasn’t thinking clearly because he was immature and has done an awful lot of growing up since then."

Webster, of Welbeck Close, Somercotes, admitted possessing crack and heroin with intent to supply.

Judge Jonathan Straw told him: “Given the court’s experience of dealing with drugs offences it’s clear that yours was a first time arrangement between you and another, doubtless seen by both of you as a way of making some cash to make your lives better and easier.

"In many ways you’ve been left carrying the can for the two of you but that does not make the case any less serious.

"You’ve not been in any real trouble before and you’re still very much starting out in life. You have family responsibilities.”

Noting that during the two years since the offence was committed Webster had been “industrious” and made a “positive contribution to society” the judge suspended a two-year jail term for 18 months.

Webster was also handed 300 hours unpaid work and a 12-day rehabilitation activity requirement.