In the dock at Reading Crown Court for sentencing on Wednesday, March 9, was Aaron Allen.
The 33-year-old, who lives at Howarth Court, Newbury, was caught by police driving a hired vehicle in the town on December 30, 2021, with around £1,000 worth of cannabis and cocaine worth more than £3,000 in 'deal' bags.
Bang to rights, m'lud!
Allen admitted possessing the Class B-controlled drug cannabis with intent to supply it. But he insisted the cocaine, a Class A-controlled drug, was for his own use – and this was accepted by the Crown Prosecution Service.
*blinks* Whut..?
Judge Norton demanded an explanation of that decision from Matthew Knight, prosecuting. She said: "Do explain to me how having that amount of cocaine represents anything other than intent to supply."
Well, yes. We'd all like to know...
Mr Knight said an expert consulted by police said that, in the absence of any other evidence, the amount of cocaine suggested Allen "may" have been dealing. He added: "As the drugs expert wasn't more forceful in their opinion, it was decided to charge him with simple possession.
"It could have been tested before a jury but the reviewing officer felt the crown didn't have a realistic prospect of conviction."
*sighs*
Judge Norton later made clear that she did not believe for a moment that the cocaine was purely for Allen's use, but that her hands were tied and she would sentence him according to the lesser charge.
The defence tried the usual mitigation-bollocks, including the fact that 'hey, he's not a thief to fuel his habit, he works for a living!'
Judge Norton said: "He was arrested with 53 bags of cocaine worth £3,220...I have to say, it doesn't add up.
"The pre-sentence report says he has a cocaine habit costing £20 a day.
"Common sense would dictate that was not all for his own use.
"He was on universal credit but could afford to buy drugs and afford a hire car."
Hurrah! Finally, a judge with...
Oh.
Nevertheless, she told Allen: "Whatever my cynicism suggests, the fact is you've pleaded guilty to simple possession of cocaine and the prosecution decided to accept that plea.
"I can't go behind that, whatever I might think."
She sentenced Allen to nine months imprisonment.
Judge Norton added: "The guidelines state that, when there's a relatively short sentence, or one on the cusp of a custodial sentence, it may be appropriate to suspend it.
"Given the current state of prisons and the overcrowding, I am going to suspend that sentence for 15 months."
*weeps*
H/T: Ian J via email
5 comments:
The CPS (Criminal Protection Society) has two targets. The first is to secure prosecutions. The second is to remain in budget. In this case, if they can secure a quick and comparably cheap 'possession' charge, rather than a more expensive trial for 'dealing', guess which one they will go for? It's not helped by the woke numpty magistrates and judges dishing out the sentences.
One can only hope that his universal credit is stopped as he does appear to be in some form of lucrative employment if he can afford several thousand Pounds worth of drugs 'for his own use', though I won't hold my breath waiting.
I also wonder if any enquiries were made into who his supplier was?
Penseivat
The spinelessness of the Crown Prosecution Service in cases like this never ceases to amaze me. No wonder we have streets full of worthless criminal scum if they buggers (CPS) won't prosecute them.
Time the CPS gave up on the LGBT+ and diversity bollocks and started hiring hard men with iron souls to prosecute hard crime.
I blame Alison Saunders and Sir Kneeling Keir Starmer for letting the CPS run to ruin.
@Penseivat - On the point about budgets, fair enough, but if it takes a little extra effort (and budget) to send some drug dealing low life down for 20 years rather than 5 years, that seems worth the additional expense.
No doubt the usual ACAB and "Defund the Police" crowd who think coppers are just a bunch of racist Nazis trying to keep the Black Man Down will piss and moan about money spent on the police and CPS, but if it meant those guilty of hard crimes serve the hard time they deserve, then by all means double the budget.
Problem is the corrupted CPS and Police would probably just spunk it away on rainbow coloured police cars and Diversity initiatives rather than prosecuting those making the general publics lives a misery.
So sack em all sans pension and compo (plus Lions) and replace them with people that will prosecute criminals (not celebrate faggotry) and give them the budget to get it done.
"In this case, if they can secure a quick and comparably cheap 'possession' charge, rather than a more expensive trial for 'dealing', guess which one they will go for?"
It's the unofficial motto of all public sector 'services', it seems...
"I blame Alison Saunders and Sir Kneeling Keir Starmer for letting the CPS run to ruin."
They undoubtedly helped it along the path, but I very much doubt it started with them...
"...if it meant those guilty of hard crimes serve the hard time they deserve, then by all means double the budget."
And so say we all!
Yet the useless Plods and corrupt CPS will go all out going after subjective, soft target "hate" crimes, such as Golliwog dolls or silent prayer.
Meanwhile, as I have accused the Plods of for years and been targeted by said Plods when they make up the law as they go along, assuming often correctly, that the public have no real knowledge of the law and get sucked in to the persecution machine.
I was once an unconditional supporter of the the police, the same idiot, vindictive Plods turned me into a sworn enemy and even more vociferous critic.
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