Man avoids jail after selling drugs to police officer

Michael Hughes, of Daniel Court in Shotton, appeared at Mold Crown Court on Thursday morning for sentence.

The 45-year-old had previously been convicted of supplying crack cocaine and heroin.

Nicola Williams, prosecuting, told the court the offence arose out of a police test-purchasing operation named Blue Magnitude.

A covert officer, referred to only as "Jimmy" was deployed in Flintshire to buy drugs through a county lines model operation - in which orders for substances were taken through a mobile phone controlled in an urban hub.

In February this year Jimmy called a number and was directed to Deeside to pick up drugs.

He saw Hughes, who took his order for "one of each" - meaning a deal of crack and cocaine.

Hughes went into a nearby house to retrieve the drugs and appeared over a fence, where he handed them over.

The court heard the offences had happened while he was on bail awaiting sentence for more serious matters including burglary.

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Dafydd Roberts, defending, said his client had been a drug addict for decades and on the day in question he'd gone to buy himself some drugs.

But he was short of money, and so had agreed to supply substances in order to make up the shortfall.

Mr Roberts said: "The evidence indicates that he is a long term drug user and he has in some degree been used to supply this drug for small amounts of money.

"He has made significant progress in the last few months.

"He's gone to prison and accessed help, and now he's completely off the heroin and methadone.

"He no longer takes any sort of drug and is in stable accommodation which is a big step up for him.

"He is also complying well with post sentence supervision."

Judge Niclas Parry told the defendant; "Let there be no doubt, I am no fool.

"I know you were awaiting sentence for serious matters when you were offending.

"You were out on the street dealing two class A drugs in Deeside - an area ravaged by drugs.

"But I have a report here which tells me you've been to prison since this for different matters.

"You've done your time, come out and you've responded very well to the licence you're on."

The Judge said those facts gave him "exceptional" reason to suspend the inevitable custodial sentence.

He handed down a two year jail term, but suspended it for two years.

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