Drugs courier, 21, escapes immediate jail sentence
A man who sold drugs from a park bench in Bridgnorth to clear his own debt to dealers has escaped an immediate prison sentence.
David Ganhi 21, thought he was simply delivering a package to someone else, Shrewsbury Crown Court heard.
When that person didn’t arrive he was ordered to deal himself. He sold a couple of ‘wraps’ then left, dumping the drugs.
Ganhi, of Hordern Road, Wolverhampton, admitted possession of crack cocaine and heroin with intent to supply.
Judge Anthony Lowe told Ganhi that very few people in his position were spared prison.
He sentenced him to two years in prison, suspended for two years and ordered him to carry out 15 rehabilitation days with the probation service.
Judge Lowe said that he believed Ganhi had kicked his cannabis habit and was now doing his best to care for his partner and child.
Mr Robert Edwards, prosecuting, said undercover police had been investigating drug dealing in the Bandon Lane area of Bridgnorth.
They became suspicious of a man, Ganhi, sitting on a picnic bench eating sandwiches in Severn Park in Low Town.
Two people were seen to sit down at the bench and speak to him then leave.
When he got up and walked away the followed him and arrested him. They then re-traced his steps and found the bag he had been carrying, containing the remains of his food and a bag with multiple wraps of Class A drugs inside. He also had £115 of cash on him.
They included wraps of crack cocaine with a street value of £140 and wraps of heroin worth £60.
Mr Stephen Scully for Ganhi said his client had become addicted to smoking cannabis and had built up a debt to dealers.
They said the debt would be cleared if he took a parcel to hand over to someone in Bridgnorth.
But when he arrived the person did not turn up to collect the parcel and Ganhi was instead instructed to street deal the drugs under direction.
Since his arrest Ganhi and his family - his partner and young child - had been threatened by the drug dealers and they had had to move, he said.
Judge Lowe said: “Drugs use is an epidemic that is ruining lives, something that you have first hand experience of.
“You say you have made changes to your life and I believe you.”
