Suspended sentence for Whitchurch drug dealer
A Whitchurch man who was dealing in drugs to feed his own habit has escaped an immediate prison sentence.
Lewis Cooper, 26, had been caught with quantities of cannabis and a dealers list when his car was searched by police in January this year.
At Shrewsbury Crown Court yesterday Cooper was given a six month prison sentence, suspended for a year, and was ordered to complete 120 hours unpaid work.
At an earlier hearing Cooper, of Tarporley Road, had admitted a charge of being in possession of cannabis with intent to supply.
Judge Peter Barrie said that people who supplied drugs usually went straight to prison, but he had been told that Cooper had dealt with his drug problem and had now changed his circle of friends.
The court heard that police found £150 worth of cannabis in Cooper's car, along with three mobile phones, two dealers lists, scales and £40 in cash.
Analysis of the phones revealed numerous text messages and other communications relating to drug dealing activity.
Mr Stephen Scully, for Cooper, said his client had qualifications in water sports instruction and had worked in Europe, but found employment difficult to find when he returned to the Whitchurch area.
He said that it led to friction at the family home and he had to leave and unfortunately fell in with the wrong crowd.
Mr Scully said Cooper had been living in his car and sofa-hopping and had started taking drugs and foolishly decided to turn to low level dealing to fund his own addiction.
