Washington taxi driver turned drugs courier after financial pressures

A taxi driver who turned drugs courier during a university's Fresher's Week has narrowly avoided prison.

Hussain Ahmed was caught by police after dropping off a supply to a student in Jesmond, Newcastle, in September last year.

Newcastle Crown Court heard the 30-year-old was later stopped and had his vehicle searched, which revealed quantities of cocaine, ketamine, cannabis and other illegal tablets.

Kevin Wardlaw, prosecuting, said: "The facts go back to Fresher's Week at university on the 21st of September last year.

"Police officers mounted operations at several locations through the city specifically to target street deals of controlled drugs."

The court heard officers were patrolling on the Wednesday evening when they spotted a man waiting on the street who they thought was waiting to make a purchase.

Mr Wardlaw said: "After a short time the defendant turned up in his taxi and did indeed supply that man with £50 worth of cocaine.

"As that man walked away, he was detained by the police whose suspicions were correct.

"Arrangements were made for the defendant's vehicle to be stopped. When the defendant's vehicle was searched, he was found to be in possession of 10.5g of cocaine in individual deals."

There was also 1.34g of ketamine found alongside a small amount of cannabis and over 100 tablets.

Mr Wardlaw added: "The total value of the drugs recovered from the defendant is in the region of £1,500."

The court heard Ahmed's mobile phone was seized which showed messages indicating deals, such as instructing the customer to look out for his car.

Ahmed, of Wellington Court, Sulgrave, Washington, who had a taxi driver's licence for five years, pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of a class A drug with intent to supply and three counts of class B with intent to supply.

A basis of plea was accepted which stated he became involved due to financial pressure and his role was only to do drop-offs on behalf of other dealers.

Brian Hegarty, defending, said: "He's somebody who poses as being very much out of his depth in this court. He's a man who comes across very polite and respectful and very different from the majority of the defendants who appear before this court.

"He has a history of hard work and a history of employment behind him.

"He's a defendant who let himself be involved in this offending, not in order to sample the finer things in life. He has nothing by way of means over and above the money that was seized from him on the day that he was arrested.

"He was somebody who became involved in this offending in order to support others."

Judge Sarah Mallet said she was satisfied there was a prospect of rehabilitation and sentenced him to two years suspended for two years.

He must also complete 250 hours of unpaid work.