Leroy Gatward (37), of Ruby Street, Newfoundpool, Leicester, turned to dealing to fund his own class A drug use and pay off a debt to his supplier.James Thomas, prosecuting, told Leicester Crown Court that on July 9 last year, police caught Gatward supplying heroin to another dealer in Rowan Street, Newfoundpool, at 1.30pm.
He said: "When Gatward was grabbed by the officers, he discarded two wraps containing a total of 6.46 grams of heroin which, fortuitously, landed on the police officer's car bonnet."The court heard Gatward also used the home of a friend, Helen Greaney (45), of Bronte Close, Braunstone, Leicester, to store the drugs, weigh them and package them ready for distribution.Officers searched Greaney's home and seized a small amount of heroin - 0.26 grams - and other paraphernalia.Gatward, a father, accepted responsibility for the items, saying he was looking after them for his dealer, whom he owed more than £1,000.The court confiscated £60 from Gatward and £95 from Greaney, seized on their arrest.Gatward admitted possessing heroin with intent to supply and possessing a small amount of crack cocaine for personal use.
Greaney, who sometimes gave Gatward a lift to deliver the heroin, was given a 12-month jail sentence, suspended for two years, with supervision and a nine-month drug rehabilitation requirement.She admitted being concerned in the supply of heroin between May and July.Judge Peter Morrell told Gatward he was reducing the sentence to reflect "the way you have responded well to the drug rehabilitation offered to you on remand in prison. You are to be rewarded directly for that".
Judge Morrell told Greaney, who had no previous convictions: "You came within a whisker of receiving custody.
"There are aspects of your character that suggest what you have done is wholly out of character."
In mitigation, the court heard that Gatward, the father of three young daughters, intended to fully rehabilitate himself.The court was told Greaney had only become involved out of desperation for pain relief for a medical problem and ended up hooked on heroin.She regretted providing her co-accused with a safe house to keep drugs, has received treatment and has been clean of heroin since Christmas.
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