Drug supplier made to pay for crime

10:43am Monday 8th December 2008

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A MAN convicted of having hundreds of pounds worth of drugs he was going to supply has been ordered to pay £50 towards the benefit from his crime.

Richard Owen, of Long Close, Chippenham, had more than 6oz of cannabis in a rucksack as well as re-sealable plastic bags and a set of scales when he was arrested in a Chippenham car park.

But after insisting he had bought the drugs using a common pool of cash to share with friends who were in the vehicle with him he escaped a jail term.

And as his realisable assets were only £50 the 22-year-old was told it was all he would have to pay under proceeds of crime laws.

However should he come into money in the future the authorities could pursue him for the rest of the £860 benefit he had from his crime.

Judge William Hart ruled the benefit from his crime was £860, his realisable assets £50 and gave him 14 days to pay the money or face a seven day prison term in default.

Owen was arrested as he sat in a car with three of his friends in the Pewsham Road car park in Chippenham.

Officers approached the vehicle on the afternoon of Saturday August 24 last year and as they got near the lads became agitated and were seen to throw items out of the window.

All four were arrested for possession of drugs after what they had chucked out of the car was examined by the officers.

Owen was found to have a rucksack containing six bags of cannabis each weighing about an ounce and a number of re-sealable plastic bags and some scales.

One of the lads in the car was also found to be in possession of about £1,500 in cash, the court was told.

When he was questioned by police Owen submitted a prepared statement in which he said they had bought the drugs together for about £600.

He said they had been purchased from a common pool of money and were to be split up between them.

Owen pleaded guilty to a charge of possessing cannabis with intent to supply.

Alex Daymond, defending, said his client and some friends had got together to buy their drugs in bulk so they could get them at a lower price.

He said that meant there was a distinction between what he had done and others who have drugs to supply to other people.

“Mr Owen is a remorseful young man. He is very chastened by these proceedings. He has described it as a wake up call,” he said.

He said he now no longer used cannabis and despite learning difficulties had managed to himself on a plastering court at Wiltshire College.

Owen was ordered to do 250 hours of community service and observe an 8pm to 7am curfew for two months.