Dealer’s double trouble

A 24-YEAR-old man caught red-handed dealing drugs in Oldham had been nabbed for the same offence only weeks before.

Abdul Malik was one of three men in a van stopped by police in Park Road in June 2011.

Police seized a bag of cannabis from a man in the back of the van, and later found identical bags at Malik’s address.

His mobile phone showed a series of text messages, all from buyers requesting cannabis.

Malik denied any knowledge of the phone, and denied dealing in drugs.

The court heard that in an almost identical scenario in May 2011, Malik had been caught in a vehicle in Oldham and 11 bags of cannabis seized.

He had been on police bail for that offence when stopped the second time.

Tom Gilbart defending, said his client had fallen under the influence of others after moving to Oldham.

He said: “He has now moved back to Leeds and no longer uses cannabis.”

Sentencing him to nine months in prison, suspended for 18 months, judge Timothy Mort said the suspension was given because this January, when given a community order for the earlier offence, he had “seized the opportunity with both hands” and fully complied.

Malik was ordered to carry out 80 hours of unpaid work.


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