Doncaster addict caught dealing cocaine to fund his drug debt
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Sheffield Crown Court heard on September 16 how Steffan Ball, aged 33, of Clayfield View, Mexborough, was caught intending to supply cocaine twice within three days by plain-clothed police in Mexborough on November 12 and 15, last year.
Christopher Dunn, prosecuting, said: “On November 12 plain-clothes police officers were patroling Main Street, Mexborough, in South Yorkshire, at a known drug-dealing hot-spot in that area, when officers saw an exchange between the defendant and another male and police arrested the defendant.”
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Hide AdBall had 33 wraps of cocaine worth £330 and cash and he was released on police bail, according to Mr Dunn, but another team of plain-clothed police on Schofield Street, Mexborough, caught him acting suspiciously on a football pitch on November 15.
Mr Dunn said: “They gave chase and arrested him and he admitted there were drugs on his person.”
Police recovered 36 wraps of cocaine worth £360 with cash during the second arrest, according to Mr Dunn.
Mr Dunn said that following both arrests police recovered £490 in cash.
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Hide AdBall, who has previous convictions and has been remanded in custody, pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing class A drugs with intent to supply.
Brian Outhwaite, defending, said Ball had a very difficult start to life with both parents taking class A drugs when he was 11-years-old and at around that time his father was murdered.
Mr Outhwaite added: “He began to take cannabis at 11-years of age and went on to progress to more serious substances – in his case cocaine – and then crack-cocaine.”
Ball became addicted, according to Mr Outhwaite, and he had to sell drugs to fund his cocaine habit and was also forced to sell drugs to repay his drug-debt.
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Hide AdRecorder Keir Monteith QC told Ball: “You have remained clean in prison and whatever comes out of this I hope you can continue to take small steps and take bigger steps to rid yourself of drugs for good.”
He sentenced Ball to two-years of custody.
Recorder Monteith added: “I very much hope you will continue to be clean in prison and take advantage of the help and assistance of the various agencies.”