A MAN has been given a chance to change his life after admitting he dealt cannabis at a street level.

John Vaughan, of Ffordd-y-Ffynnon in Mostyn, appeared at Mold Crown Court on Thursday for sentence.

The 31-year-old had previously admitted an offence of being concerned in the supply of cannabis.

Karl Scholz, prosecuting, told the court that on November 7, 2020, officers stopped a Vauxhall Corsa being driven by the defendant on the A548 at Deeside.

Vaughan was driving and there were two other males in the vehicle.

Officers noted a "strong smell" of cannabis when the driver door was opened, and subsequently the three males were searched - as was the vehicle.

Cannabis was found in the car, in addition to a large number of nitrous oxide canisters, a quantity of balloons and a device known as a 'cracker' which is used to pierce the cannisters.

The quantity of cannisters, some of which were used, were not sufficient to suggest they were for supply purposes.

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Vaughan's mobile was seized and his bedroom at his Mostyn home was searched.

There, police found more cannabis and electronic scales, as well as numerous "deal bags."

The defendant told officers they would find nothing on his phone, but declined to provide the pin number.

It was accessed however, and revealed messages showing he was dealing in cannabis at street level between May and November of 2020.

Defending himself at the hearing, Vaughan confirmed he had been selling amounts of the drug to people who contacted him on the phone.

"It is what it is," he told the court.

"It was [being sold] literally to close friends and people I know that have smoked weed for a long time.

"I didn't gain anything financial from it; if anything I got in debt.

"When I got back into work, I paid off my debt and I stopped doing it from then."

Recorder Simon Mills praised the defendant for his openness about his situation, and sentenced him to 8 months in prison - suspended for 18 months.

He must do 20 days of rehabilitation activity and 120 hours of unpaid work, as well as paying a £156 victim surcharge.

 

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