Police saw drugs through window

Published on 14th December 2006 in News

A self-confessed drug dealer was caught red-handed smoking crack cocaine by police who saw him through the window of a house in Goole - within 12 months of admitting drugs charges.

Dealer Brendan Isle (25) was seen with a lighter and tinfoil near his mouth through the window at the house by patrolling police officers. They found him with 32 grammes of the highly-addictive drug at his feet; he was getting high.

Upstairs, two other men were found with sets of scales and drugs being cut up in a bedroom. Police recovered £1,185 in cash.

Mr Isle's flat in Eastgate was searched after his arrest at 3.50pm on August 2 and two sets of scales were found there, as well as other drugs.

Last Friday Hull Crown Court heard that Mr Isle initially had the front to deny being a dealer, despite being seen taking and having drugs at his feet. He claimed the cash was from his sale of Staffordshire bull terriers he was breeding at £350 a time, and not from street dealing.

But when he appeared at court he pleaded guilty to possessing 32 grammes of crack-cocaine with intent to supply, two charges of possession of 48 tablets of diazepam and one charge of possession of a morphine capsule. He also admitted a single charge of assaulting a police officer on July 16 near the Burlington Hotel in Goole during a street disturbance.

Prosecutor Catherine Silverton said: "He punched police sergeant Robert Cocker in the mouth and told him: 'You were trying to arrest my girlfriend'. At the time he had a rusty razor blade on him."

Last chance wasted

The court heard Mr Isle was last given a chance after being caught dealing in drugs and sentenced to a drug treatment and testing order at Hull Crown Court in May last year. His longest spell in prison so far has been 18 months.

He was described by his own barrrister as being a prolific offender since a youngster, with convictions for burglary and theft.

Defending, Mr Patrick Palmer said: "He had a bad pre-sentence report, setting out all his breaches and was pessimistic for the future. He has not resorted to his most serious crimes. He has not gone back to burgling."

Prison sentence 'inevitable'

Jailing him for three years and three months, Judge Tom Cracknell ordered Mr Isle to stand as he told him: "You are 25 years old and have a bad record. In 2005 you were given a drug treatment and testing order for dealing in drugs. But you have still been caught at it after all this time. You know you have to go to prison. Those that deal in class A drugs inevitably go to prison."

The judge ordered the seizure of the cash and destruction of the drugs. Mr Isle showed no remorse as he was handcuffed and led to cells below Hull Crown Court and a waiting prison van.