Luke Hutton and Lee Walsh were jailed for peddling cocaine in Abersytwyth
A man who had his benefits stopped “did what he had to do” to make ends meet, a court has heard. Luke Hutton began peddling cocaine to earn money, and when he was arrested by police he was found to have almost £9,000 in cash in his pocket.
Noting Hutton’s comments to a probation officer about doing what he had to do, a judge at Swansea Crown Court told the 25-year-old that the court would do what it had to do to take drug dealers off the streets. Hutton was jailed for three years while his dealing partner Lee Walsh got 32 months
Dean Pulling, prosecuting, told the court that on November 14 this year police in Aberystwyth went to Walsh’s flat in Aberystwyth to execute a search warrant. As officers arrived they saw a group of people outside the property including Walsh and Hutton.
The court heard that when the defendants saw police approach they walked away – Walsh was detained at the property while Hutton ran off but was chased and caught. When Walsh was searched he was found to be in possession of a small bag of cannabis, £160 in cash, and a mobile phone. When Hutton was searched he was found to be carrying £8,795 in cash and a mobile phone.
The prosecutor said Hutton was seen trying to conceal something down his underwear so was strip searched in custody and a wrap of white powder was recovered from his groin area. For the latest court stories sign up to outrcrime newsletter
The court heard that a search of Walsh’s bedroom uncovered £850 cash laid out in piles on the bed, a silver knuckleduster, and five mobile phones. There was also a large kitchen knife hidden under the bed. From elsewhere in the flat officers recovered a bag of white powder, a set of scales with white powder residue on them, and a bank card in the name of Walsh with white powder on it.
A search of Hutton’s address found £1,060 in cash on top of an air fryer in the kitchen, a quantity of bicarbonate of soda, and a number of empty snap-seal bags.
In their interviews Walsh answered “no comment” to all questions asked while Hutton gave a prepared statement denying talking to Walsh or running away from the flat, and also denying having any involvement in the supply of drugs. He then remained silent.
Lee Mark Walsh, aged 37, of Yr Hafan, Aberystwyth, and 25-year-old Luke Hutton, of Corporation Street, Aberystwyth, had both previously pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine with intent to supply and possessing criminal property – cash – when they appeared in the dock for sentencing. Walsh had also pleaded guilty to possessing an offensive weapon in a private place, and to the simple possession of cannabis.
Walsh, who is originally from Cardiff, has convictions for two offences of possession of cannabis from 2007 and failing to comply with a drug test in June this year. Hutton has convictions for 12 offences including sending offensive communications, driving matters, domestic violence, and breaching a restraining order imposed.
Ryan Bowen, for Walsh said in his own words the defendant had experienced an “absolutely horrible” childhood at the hands of his mother’s new partner and had attended 14 different schools during his upbringing, and he said his client’s use of cannabis had gone “hand-in-hand with his formative years”.
The barrister said Walsh had a “commendable worth ethic” which was something that could only assist with his rehabilitation, and he said the defendant had completed a course in barbering and wanted to pursue that line of work upon his release from custody.
Jon Tarrant, for Hutton, said his client could not recall a day in the last two years when he was not “seeking or taking cocaine”. He said the use of the drug had “ruled his life” and “explains why he has become separated from the positive things in his life – particularly his two young children”. The barrister said now that “the fog of the cocaine addiction has lifted” the defendant knows what changes he has to make in his life.
Judge Vanessa Francis said it was apparent from everything that she had read that both the defendants were involved in dealing with the expectation of making significant financial gain. He told Hutton: “You said to the author of the pre-sentence report that after your benefits were stopped ‘you did what you had to do’. The court will do what it has to do to take people off the streets who spread the misery of drug supply”.
With one-third discounts for their guilty pleas Hutton was sentenced to three years in prison and Walsh to 32 months in prison. The defendants will serve up to half the sentences in custody before being released on licence to serve the remainder in the community.
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