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Student found with drugs worth £1,800 on visit to see girlfriend

A university student from Wolverhampton who was caught with crack cocaine and heroin worth over £1,800 has been jailed for 27 months.

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The university student was jailed for 27 months

Deon Hartley-De-Roche, aged 25, was visiting his girlfriend at Lincoln University when he was spotted getting out of taxi near the Reindeer pub on Lincoln High Street.

He told officers his correct name but falsely claimed he was from Loughborough and gave a wrong date of birth, Lincoln Crown Court was told.

Mr Phil Howes, prosecuting, said officers found a golf-ball-sized package wrapped in clingfilm in the waistband of his trousers but Hartley-De-Roche ran away after taking off his hooded top.

He was found covered by a duvet hiding under a desk in his girlfriend’s flat.

Officers seized drugs with a total street value of £1,870.

More than £800 in cash was also recovered and a set of scales which contained brown residue.

Seized

Analysis of the drugs revealed there were nearly 12 grams of crack cocaine valued at £1,200 and just under five grams of heroin worth £580.

A small amount of cannabis and eight further wraps of heroin worth £80 were also recovered.

Analysis of a phone seized from Hartley-De-Roche, who is now studying at the University of Wolverhampton, identified three possible drugs customers and one supplier, Mr Howes added.

Hartley-De-Roche, of Staveley Road, Whitmore Reans, admitted two charges of possessing Class A drugs with intent to supply and one charge of possessing cannabis on 11 May, 2018.

Leanne Summers, mitigating, told the court Hartley-De-Roche was a totally different person to the man arrested by police 18 months ago.

The court heard Hartley-De-Roche had enrolled at university in Wolverhampton and had successfully completed his first year.

Recorder Charles Falk said: “You were clearly preparing drugs for sale.”

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