Two Luton cannabis dealers, who were caught in Harpenden, were told by a judge on Friday, April 9, 2021, that they were lucky not to be leaving court in a prison van.
Joshua McAllister and Jake Wallis, now both 21, were in a Fiat Punto that was stopped by the police at half past seven in the evening on May 23, 2019.
Prosecutor Daniel Siong told St Albans crown court that the officers could smell cannabis.
McAllister, the front seat passenger, had the drug in a black Armani man bag. He also had a lock-knife in the waistband of his trousers.
Wallis, who was in the back seat, had cannabis in a Hugo Boss man bag and £540 cash, £140 of which he was carrying legitimately.
Their homes were searched and more cannabis was found.
Mr Siong said the total cannabis recovered was 184.3 grams, with a street value of £1,850. Their mobile phones were analysed and found to contain drug dealing messages.
McAllister, of Crawley Green Road, Luton and Wallis, of Brendon Avenue, Luton, appeared for sentence having pleaded guilty to possessing cannabis with intent to supply. McAllister also pleaded guilty to having the lock-knife.
No action was taken against the Punto driver.
In his plea to the court, McAllister said he was supplying cannabis to a small group of acquaintances to fund his own use. Wallis said he bought it in bulk for his personal use and sold a small amount to friends at cost, not making any money.
Carl Woolf, defending, said both men had pleaded guilty at the magistrates’ court. He said McAllister had the knife with him only to cut up cannabis.
Judge Richard Foster told them: “You are convicted drug dealers. Cannabis is an evil substance that is often the gateway to Class A drugs.”
The judge said the knife McAllister was carrying was a “serious aggravating feature.”
He said: “Often a situation arises where a minor fracas becomes a serious assault or worse.”
He passed a six month sentence suspended for 18 months for the cannabis offence.
McAllister must carry out 15 days’ rehabilitation, 200 hours’ unpaid work and abide by a three month curfew between 8pm and 6am.
Wallis must complete 100 hours’ unpaid work and also abide by a three month curfew between 8pm and 6am.
He ordered the confiscation of the £400 found on Wallis and the destruction of the knife.
The judge told them: “You can both regard yourselves as lucky leaving by the front door and not the prison van.”
