Jailed: 'Bullied foolish dupe' crack dealer was caught while on bail

Shamar Fairclough, 27, of Hambrook Close, Wolverhampton, admitted three charges when he appeared before Shrewsbury Crown Court.

The charges came after he was stopped and searched by police in Shifnal on two separate occasions, once in 2021, and again in February this year. Police also found him in possession of nearly £10,000, which they said had come from drug dealing.

The first charge was possession of heroin with intent to supply on September 8, 2021, the second was intent to supply crack cocaine between June 1, 2022, and February 9, this year, along with a further charge of possession of criminal property, namely cash totalling £9,496.

Alexa Carrier, prosecuting, said the first incident had seen Fairclough spotted by police with an electric scooter in Shifnal on September 8, 2021.

They approached him and he was found to have discarded two wraps containing heroin, as well as a mobile phone containing messages detailing drug dealing – which he had thrown into a nearby field.

He was also found to have possession of £9,496.

The second incident also took place in Shifnal, with Fairclough arrested after "a short pursuit" on February 9 this year.

Ms Carrier said he was searched and police found crack cocaine and a mobile telephone.

His home was then searched and officers discovered a number of mobile phones containing messages about drug dealing, using terms such as 'tick', when people receive drugs and pay at a later date, and offers of "three for 20".

The court was told that crack cocaine with a street value of £1,640, and heroin worth £1,040, had been recovered.

Simon Warlock, mitigating, said that Fairclough had been a pawn for bigger drug dealers, having become involved after running up debts over cannabis use.

He said that while he should be punished, the case would not prevent drugs getting onto the streets, describing his client as a "bullied, foolish, dupe" for bigger dealers.

Mr Warlock said: "We are wearily familiar with the pattern, that twice a day someone travels in from Wolverhampton with drugs to go to Telford and then collects the money; that is what has happened here."

He added that Fairclough had presented police with a statement in his second interview saying he had been a victim of modern slavery.

Sentencing, Judge Anthony Lowe, said that Fairclough was himself a victim – but his actions perpetuate a cycle of drug dealing.

He said: "Much of what Mr Warlock says is very true. That people who get involved in drugs end up with a drug debt and once they get a drug debt they are effectively pawns as far as those higher up are concerned, and I accept there is no easy way of getting out of that grip.

"It would be trite of me to just say 'you can say no', if you say no there could be violent consequences, and if you went to the police the consequences might even be worse."

He added: "Although you yourself are a victim, people like you, I am afraid, perpetuate the problem and so it goes on – you supply drugs to people, they get into debt, they then have to supply drugs to people and it goes on and on and never ends."

Judge Lowe, who told the court he had been impressed by a letter written to him by the defendant, said that the offences could have seen him jailed for a maximum of nine years – but that he was reducing it to three years.

He urged him not to "ruin" the opportunity by committing further offences when he is released.

He said: "I hope you can turn your life around when you finish your sentence."

The court was also told that proceeds of crime proceedings will now take place to recover any profits Fairclough made from dealing drugs.