Dealer claims he's too 'broke' to pay off fine

Published on 7th June 2007 in News

SELF-confessed Howden drug dealer Stephen Wilson has re-paid just £1,900 of his estimated £7,700 earned from criminal dealing.

The joiner claims to be a broken man after police raided his former shop and closed down his business selling cannabis and highly-addictive cocaine in an effort to fend off financial trouble at the Real Wood Furniture Company in Goole.

He was prosecuted at Hull Crown Court in May last year - but it emerged this week he cannot pay the fine ordered under the Proceeds of Crime Act. He originally escaped with an 18-month suspended prison sentence and now risks being jailed.

Mr Wilson appeared in court on Friday, June 1 in a legal bid to be given a certificate of inadequacy - in effect letting him off attempts to claw back the ill-gotten gains of his dealing. But Recorder Jonathan Rose has given police time to challenge his claims that he is legitimately broke.

Crown barrister John Thackray said the prosecution felt that Mr Wilson's sale of his van, equipment and machinery to pay off his fine were tainted. He said they were sold on e-Bay, but investigators had traced a suspicious historic credit card link to the partner of the random buyer and Mr Wilson. He said: "The information is it was a tainted gift," said Mr Thackray. He said Mr Wilson had valued his van at £4,500, but it went for £1,500 to a man he claims he does not know, but who lives just streets away in Howden.

Defence barrister Paul Genney said Mr Wilson insisted he did not know the man and that the goods were legitimately sold. He said Sheffield Crown Court had made Mr Wilson bankrupt in September last year. "He has sold his house, sold plant machinery and has brought his Jobcentre card to court," Mr Genney told the hearing. "He has been made bankrupt.

"He has applied for a certificate of inadequacy. He does not have the money."

An earlier court was told Mr Wilson originally bought drugs in bulk, split them, weighed and packaged them before selling them on to friends in £20 and £40 bags.

When police raided his premises in December, 2005 the joiner was asked about drug dealing. He took them straight to his van parked outside, where he had stashed 164 grammes of herbal cannabis with a street value of around £492.

When police searched his home they found 9.6 grammes of cocaine with a street value of £544. Officers seized dealer equipment including self-sealing bags, digital scales, tubes of purity-testing equipment and a dealer list to keep track of which addicts owed him cash.

Mr Wilson (34), of Derwent Road in Howden, pleaded guilty to two charges of possession of cannabis and cocaine with intent to supply.

He told police he had turned to dealing to friends and had been in operation for only three months supplying cocaine, but admitted his cannabis trade started first in the spring of 2005. He denied retailing from the premises and said it was just to friends.

Recorder Jonathan Rose said the inadequacy claim should be tested in court. He adjourned the case for a two-hour Newton hearing on July 6 at Hull Crown Court. He told Mr Wilson that if he could not prove his claim for inadequacy: "You can expect to receive the prison sentence that was hanging over you in default."

Mr Wilson was allowed to walk free from court.