Drug dealer Kurt Bygraves was caught when his brother told the police they would find a ‘load more drugs’ in his bedroom.
Officers had gone to the home the brothers share with their mother in Bedford Road, Kempston for an unrelated matter, Luton crown court heard on Tuesday, July 28, 2020.
Prosecutor Michael Williams said once inside the house, on January 2, last year, they could smell cannabis and spoke to Kurt’s brother.
“He told them to look in his brother’s bedroom where they would find a load more drugs.
“In the defendant’s bedroom they found a significant drug dealing operation which was being run from the family home,” said Mr Williams.
There were 64 wraps of cocaine plus a larger lump totalling 167 grams, with a street value of between £6,800 and £8,520. T
here were 26 bags of cannabis, weighing 33 grams and worth £330. The police also recovered 3 sets of electric scales, £660 cash, cling film deal bags and nine mobile phones.
In a cash tin a blank firing pistol was recovered. Mr Williams said: “Messages on the phones indicated supply from March 2018 – 10 months earlier.
“It included messaging from someone higher up chain telling him to carry out specific deals.”
When questioned Bygraves, who now works as a warehouseman at Sainsburys, made no comment. Bygraves, now aged 21, of Bedford Road, Kempston appeared for sentence having pleaded guilty to supplying Class A and Class B drugs and possessing a blank firing pistol. He was of previous good character.
Defending, Paul Webb said: “He attends court extremely remorseful, anxious and frightened. He is a naive, immature 21-year-old.”
Mr Webb said others were “pulling his strings.”
He said he had been asked to look after cocaine and drop off drugs in return for cannabis to support his former addiction. He said he now only smoked the occasional spliff.
Since his arrest he had got a job and was in a relationship, he said.
Judge Steven Evans said: “He may well have been put under pressure and drawn in. He is continuing to use cannabis and is putting himself in a vunerable position. It is concerning he still has one foot in the world of drugs.”
He told Bygraves: “Guns and drugs are a toxic combination.
“Those who deal in drugs very often have to protect their turf. I accept you may have been drawn in by older people who threatened to use violence.
“You were doing the dirty work at the business end of street dealing.”
The judge said he accepted Bygraves had stayed out of trouble since his arrest and appeared to have made genuine changes to his life.
He passed a 24 month jail sentence suspended for two years. He must attend 20 rehabilitation activity days, abide by a curfew for three months between 11pm and 9am and pay £800 prosecution costs.
The judge warned him he would not get a second chance saying: “You have been very lucky today.” Bygraves thanked the judge as he left the court.