‘Foolish’ dad-of-three Mark Pritchard has been jailed after he ‘looked after’ more than £20,000 of drugs in return for a fee.
The 43-year-old was due to be paid £150 if he stored the cocaine, crack cocaine, diamorphine and amphetamine at his home.
But the defendant – who was living on benefits – was never paid after police raided the address.
Now Pritchard, of Winghay Place, Chell Heath, has been locked up for two years and three months.
Prosecutor Fiona Cortese told Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court that police had visited Pritchard’s home with a search warrant on April 4.
He let officers in and was asked if there were drugs in the property and he admitted there were, and showed them where they were stored.
Latest cases from the courts in North Staffordshire
A large quantity of drugs were recovered, including 11 bags containing 72.4g of diamorphine worth over £7,000; 14.2g of cocaine worth more than £1,000; crack cocaine worth between £4,440 and £9,920; more bags of crack cocaine with a street value of between £10,000 and £12,500 and amphetamine worth up to £1,500.
Pritchard was interviewed by police but replied ‘no comment’ to all the questions.
He went on to plead guilty to four counts of possession with intent to supply, on the basis that he was not dealing himself.
In his plea statement, which was accepted by the prosecution, Pritchard said that he had agreed to ‘look after’ the drugs for a £150, which he never received.
Jason Holt, mitigating, told the court: “People asked him to store some items for a relatively small amount and he succumbed. He has been up front and honest about that. He had no idea of the value or quantity, but he knew he was doing something he shouldn’t.
“He was on benefits at the time and he was offered this money.”
Sentencing, Judge David Fletcher told Pritchard: “I suspect there was a degree of naivete. There was no influence by you on the people above you. You did not know the nature and the value, but you were very foolish.”
