Drug dealer found snoozing by police

Drug dealer found snoozing by police

12 September 2012

A DOWNPATRICK drug dealer has been given a final chance to turn his life around after admitting possession of cannabis with intent to supply.

Ryan Finlay Robert King, of Meadowlands, came to the attention of police when he fell asleep in his car while working as a city centre car park attendant in Belfast.

Belfast Crown Court heard that 26 year-old King had fallen into a drugged sleep on duty at Grosvenor Road on November 14, 2010.

Police were alerted by irate motorists who were unable to get their cars out of the lock-up car park.

After a search, King was found asleep in his Vauxhall Astra in the staff car park.

When they tapped on the window to rouse him, a dazed and confused King was seen trying to conceal a bag in the footwell of his car.

Officers found nearly 50 grammes of cannabis in a number of plastic bags and some LSD in his wallet, as well as a quantity of pentalone, which is similar to ecstasy and was uncovered during an intimate search of the defendant.

King, who admitted having the drugs, as well as a pepper spray, could not be interviewed until the following day because of his drugged condition.

He told police some of the cannabis was his own, while the rest he was holding for others. He claimed he was unaware the pepper spray was a prohibited weapon.

A defence barrister said King was no “Mr. Big” but a young man supplying drugs to a small circle of friends.

The barrister said King’s job was to buy the drugs wholesale to make it cheaper for everyone, but he was now having to pay to price after being caught. He said King was sacked from his job on the spot.

Judge Gordon Kerr QC told King the “easiest thing” to do would be to send him to jail but he said he would give him one last chance to change.

King was sentenced to 80 hours’ community service and two years’ probation.