Sheffield dealer told it is 'utterly astounding' that someone with his 'advantages' ended up selling drugs

When on-duty police officers began pursuing a vehicle being driven down Ecclesall Road by teenage defendant, William Atkin, on September 11 this year, he was on bail after being found with quantities of Class A and Class B drugs just seven months' earlier. During a November 24 hearing, prosecuting barrister, Brian Outhwaite, told Sheffield Crown Court that the chase began after Atkin, aged 19, made off at speed in the Ford vehicle he was driving upon seeing a police car approach.

Summarising the facts of the case, Judge Kirstie Watson told Atkin: “You drove on the wrong side of the road, careering off and colliding with a bollard at 70 miles per hour (mph). You then drove 80mph in a 30 zone.”

“A member of the public – despite it being early in the morning – had to veer out of your way,” she added.

Mr Outhwaite described how the chase came to an end when Atkin drove into a dip in the road at speed, causing sparks to fly, before colliding with a bus stop and a wall.

Atkin subsequently became trapped in the vehicle and had to be extricated from it, the court heard.

Police officers proceeded to search his vehicle and found quantities of Class A drugs including cocaine and MDMA, and the Class B drugs cannabis, cathinone and ketamine, said Mr Outhwaite. More quantities of Class A and B drugs were also found during a subsequent search of his property, along with weighing scales, a ‘dealers’ list’ and a mobile phone on which text messages indicative of drug dealing were found.

Atkin’s property was raided in almost identical circumstances on the first occasion officers found him to be in possession of drugs on January 22 this year.

It came after the teenager was seen handing ‘something’ to another male on Alma Street in Sheffield city centre.

Mr Outhwaite said this aroused the suspicion of the officers, who proceeded to seach Atkin, at which point he told them items were ‘secreted in his underwear’. Various quantities of Class A and Class B drugs were found in Atkin’s possession and at his property, along with a lock knife.

During the course of the two incidents, police recovered various quantities of Class A drugs with an estimated street value of £630, and around £570 of Class B drugs.

Atkin pleaded guilty to offences including possession with intent to supply cocaine, MDMA, ketamine and cannabis; dangerous driving and possessing a bladed article at an earlier hearing, and to charges of using a motor vehicle without third-party insurance and driving without a licence during the course of the November 24 proceedings.

In mitigation, Christopher Brewin, said Atkin, who previously enjoyed success playing badminton to a ‘high level,’ fell into a downward spiral following the death of a close friend and his parents’ separation.

“He started drinking and taking drugs, and it escalated to the point where he was dealing drugs to other people,” Mr Brewin said.

He also told the court that Atkin had been ‘honest enough’ to tell the Probation Service that he had been dealing drugs from a much younger age

Passing sentence, Judge Watson told Atkin, of Bushey Wood Road in Dore, Sheffield: “I deal, day in, day out, with young men who appear before me with the most awful backgrounds. Who don’t have supportive, loving parents, who don’t have the advantages that you have.”

“It’s utterly astounding that someone with the advantages you’ve had finds themself in front of a crown court – and not just for one set of drug dealing offences but two.”

Judge Watson sentenced Atkin to 24 months’ custody, but said she had been persuaded ‘by the smallest of margins’ to suspend his sentence for 24 months.

“Let me make it very clear: I will reserve all breaches [of the suspended sentence] to myself. You should be under no illusion that if you come back before me again I will send you to custody,” she said.

Atkin was also ordered to complete 100 hours of unpaid work, a 20-day rehabilitation activity requirement and a nine-month drug rehablitation requirement.