Guilt-stricken drug dealer pictured in tearful mug shot after handing himself into police because he’d ‘had enough’
Manchester Crown Court heard Heath’s extraordinary confession came after his own addiction brought him to the point where he was living in a drug den with only a coat to his name
Sean Heath
With tears in his eyes guilt-stricken drug dealer Sean Heath poses for his mugshot moments after handing himself into police because he’d ‘had enough’.
The addict stunned officers, who didn’t even know he was dealing drugs, when he turned up at Little Hulton police station, placed 36 wraps of heroin on the counter and told the custody sergeant: ““I’m dealing drugs and I don’t want to do it anymore.”
Manchester Crown Court heard Heath’s extraordinary confession came after his own addiction brought him to the point where he was living in a drug den with only a coat to his name.
Over an eight month period he had been buying crack and heroin and selling to other users to feed his long-term, £200 a day habit.
Now Heath, of no fixed abode, has been jailed for two years and four months, after pleading guilty to possessing class A drugs with intent to supply, reports the Manchester Evening News .
As he was sentenced he said: “Half my life’s gone on drugs – I have just had enough.”
Prosecutor Neil Beckwith told court that Heath handed himself in to police after midnight on May 3, giving officers 36 wraps of a greyish powder which he revealed was heroin.
Interviewed, he said on a typical day he sold 36 wraps of heroin and 56 wraps of cocaine. During Heath’s sentencing hearing, Alistair Reid, defending, said: “This is the first time in my professional career I have had a defendant who has knocked on the door of police, surrendered himself and handed over a class A drug worth over £700 in street value. That goes to show his mindset. He tells me he’s been using illicit drugs since the age of 14, and prior to his remand in custody, would describe himself as an alcoholic.”
Mr Reid said Heath’s drug and drink problems had begun and escalated against a backdrop of family and relationship difficulties, leaving him penniless.
The defence lawyer added: “He has no assets whatsoever to his name – he informs me the only item he has is a coat. He has nothing else in the world in terms of material goods.
“He is, tragically, an indication of the harm illicit drugs cause in society. He sees this as an opportunity he needs to put drug misuse and alcohol misuse behind and move forward – he is determined to completely abstain from drugs.”
Sentencing, Recorder Andrew Jefferies QC said of Heath: “I don’t think you can get any clearer indication of remorse than going to the police station and handing yourself in.”
Source: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/guilt-stricken-drug-dealer-pictured-8113171