Hi

A DRUG dealer supplying cannabis in a Gloucester street was caught after a householder alerted police.

Barrington Esson, 20, was seen behaving suspiciously in Foxtail Close, Robinswood, Gloucester Crown Court heard.

A householder raised the alarm when she heard someone swearing near her house and looked out to see Esson talking on his mobile phone.

Lisa Hennessy, prosecuting, said the resident then saw other young men approaching Esson.

"She then saw, to her horror, that they were exchanging various items," Miss Hennessy said.

"She was so convinced it was drug dealing that she called the police.

"Her husband joined her and they saw the men roll up cigarettes and sprinkle something into them.

"When police got there the defendant attempted to run away and jumped over a fence, but he was chased and detained.

"When one of the officers said he was going to do a drugs search, Esson said, 'The only thing I have on me is this,' and he produced a set of electronic scales.

"However, the officers found various bags of cannabis on him. Some was in his sock, some in his jacket and when he arrived at Gloucester police station he pulled a carrier bag from his waistband."

She said the bag contained 14.37 grams of cannabis. The total found on Esson was 19.99 grams, worth
73.20.

He told police he had bought
150 of cannabis with money clubbed together by friends and used the scales to share it out fairly among them.

Esson, of Beaufort Road, Gloucester, admitted possessing a Class B drug with intent to supply and supplying the drug.

Recorder Alun Jenkins QC placed him under supervision for 15 months and ordered him to attend 19 sessions of a Thinking Skills programme.

He told Esson he was lucky not to be going to prison for the offences.

The court had been told that Esson has a history of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, Asperger's and learning difficulties.

The prosecution accepted that he was merely supplying friends and not for profit.

Steve Young, defending, urged the court to accept that a community order with supervision would be a sufficient sentence.

Ear

Bongme