Drug dealer sentenced following stop search in Northampton

A 20-year-old man has been sentenced to almost three years in prison after pleading guilty to supplying Class A drugs in Northampton.

Keehan Cass, of Queens Road in Walthamstow, was arrested alongside a 19-year-old man after the pair were stopped in the town by officers from Northamptonshire Police’s Operation Revive team.

At about 5.40pm on Sunday, May 14 this year, officers spotted Cass and Jamal Clarke, of Dames Road, Forest Gate, East London, walking a dog along Bailiff Street, near to the junction with Lorne Road, and stopped to speak to them.

Cass initially told officers that he was on his way home as he lived around the corner, however, checks on the Police National Computer revealed his address was in Greater London and that he was wanted on warrant for failing to appear at court.

As he was being arrested, Clarke fled on foot but was swiftly detained nearby on Barrack Road. Both men were searched under Section 23 of the Misuse of Drugs Act and a quantity of Class A drugs and cash were recovered from Cass.

Once in custody, Cass was found to have more than 80 wraps of Class A drugs and £1,584 in cash. He and Clarke were also both were found to be carrying knives.

Cass pleaded guilty to two counts of possession with intent to supply a controlled Class A drug – namely crack cocaine and heroin, possession of a bladed article in a public place and acquire/use/possess criminal property.

On Tuesday (August 1), at Northampton Crown Court, Cass was sent to prison for a total of 34 months after he was sentenced to 27 months for each drug offence and six months for the acquire/use/possess criminal property, to run concurrently, and a further seven months to run consecutively in relation to the possession of a bladed article.

At the same hearing, Clarke was sentenced to seven months in prison after pleading guilty to the possession of a bladed article in a public place.

Detective Constable Chelsea Noble, of the West LPA CID team, who led the investigation, said: “I am pleased with the sentences handed to Cass and Clarke, and hope this is seen as a deterrent to anyone who is thinking of dealing drugs within our communities.

“Drug harm is a matter of priority for the Force, and we will continue to tenaciously enforce and disrupt drug dealers, who prey on the most vulnerable people in our society and bring misery to our streets and communities.”

Last May, Chief Constable Nick Adderley launched the Force’s Matters of Priority for the next three years, and along with serious violence, serious and organised crime, violence against women and girls, drug harm was included. More details at www.northants.police.uk

Operation Revive is the Force’s hard-hitting enforcement campaign which focuses on bringing the offenders of serious violence associated with Class A drug dealing and gangs to justice.

If anyone has concerns about drug dealing, or someone becoming drawn into gang culture, please report it to us on 101, online at www.northants.police.uk/ro or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.