Telford teenager dealt drugs despite brother's overdose death

Sheridan Penn, of Charnborough Court, Oakengates, was involved in supplying an undercover police officer with crack cocaine in Wellington town centre last year.

At Birmingham Crown Court yesterday Penn was sentenced to 18 months at a Young Offenders Institution, suspended for two years.

Judge Simon Drew QC told Penn that the death of his brother must be seen as "a salutary lesson" both to him and to others.

In addition Penn was also put on a supervision, must complete 100 hours unpaid work and attend a thinking skills programme.

At an earlier hearing Penn had admitted charges of conspiring to supply cannabis and being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine.

The court heard that Penn was arrested in May this year, a short time after his brother's death.

Miss Michelle Heeley, prosecuting, said that in June last year, during conversations with the undercover officer "Steve" about selling "weed", the defendant had made reference to his brother selling "other stuff".

Penn was seen dealing cannabis to another person and had introduced "Steve" to 26-year-old Theodore Williams, who subsequently sold crack cocaine to the officer on three occasions.

Miss Heeley said that Williams had given "Steve" his mobile number and on three occasions had arranged to sell him crack cocaine.

At court yesterday Williams, of Bratton Road, Bratton, near Telford, was jailed for three years after admitting three charges of supplying Class A drugs and three offences of offering to supply drugs.

The court heard that in June last year Williams had been out of work and had been taking drugs and was paying off a debt to his dealer.

Three other Telford men were also given custodial sentences after admitting their role in dealing drugs in the Telford area.

Jason Rixon, 39, who is from Telford but has no fixed address was said to have been "sofa hopping" at the time of his arrest in June last year.

He was jailed for 27 months after admitting being concerned in the supply of heroin following contact with the undercover officer, "Steve" , in Wellington in March last year.

Miss Michelle Heeley, prosecuting, told the court that Rixon, and another defendant, 31-year-old Michael Leaver, were involved in supplying drugs to the undercover officer.

She said that Rixon had directed "Steve" to a couple in Wellington who they met in an alleyway near the market and £30 was paid by the officer for wraps of heroin and crack cocaine.

In May Rixon had taken "Steve" to Leaver's address in a block of flats where he paid £20 for two wraps of heroin.

Leaver handed a taxi card to the officer which had both his and Rixon's telephone numbers written on it.

Miss Heeley said that in June Rison had met a man on a moped to purchase a wrap of crack cocaine with £25 given to him by the undercover officer.

Leaver, of Oakfield Road, Shawbirch, Telford, who had admitted supplying heroin, was given a two-year prison sentence suspended for two years, and placed on supervision and ordered to complete 150 hours of unpaid work.

Also in court yesterday was Karl Humphries, 20, who had pleaded guilty to four charges of supplying cannabis, possession of cannabis with intent to supply, offering to supply cannabis and possession of a craft knife.

Miss Heeley said that Humphries was in contact with undercover officer "Tony" in November 2012 and had a 'bum bag' which contained bags of cannabis.

They met in Telford town centre when Humphries said they should "move away from the cameras" and the defendant supplied "Tony" with cannabis on four occasions. He was in possession of drugs and the craft knife when he was arrested.

Humphries, of Downmead, Hollinswood, Telford, was said to have been working as a street dealer under the direction of others to feed his own addiction.

He was sentenced to 15 months in a young offenders institution, suspended for two years, and placed on supervision and ordered to complete 180 hours of unpaid work.

Another defendant, 22-year-old Nicholas Gallantree, of The Glebelands, Donnington, Telford, who had admitted the supply of a Class B drug, failed to attend court and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

Applications for confiscation orders under the Proceeds of Crime Act against the defendants were adjourned until November.

The defendants were all arrested in May this year during a series of raids as part of a West Mercia police investigation, codenamed Operation Sift.