Driving ban proves the downfall for Leeds heroin dealer

Lawrence Mafaune was stopped as he drove through Castleford in 2020, only for officers to uncover a large quantity of drugs. Then in July of last year he was stopped again in the Greater Manchester area and found with another bag of drugs.

He was jailed for 53 months at Leeds Crown Court this week on the day his trial was due to begin. He has already served time for a previous conviction for drug dealing.

Prosecutor Austin Newman said driver Mafaune and another man had been stopped on May 18, 2020, in the Castleford area. The passenger had £345 in cash on him, while Mafaune had £118. Arousing suspicion, the officers searched the Audi and found half-a-kilogramme of skunk cannabis.

Several phones were also seized that contained evidence of dealing. Mafaune told officers during interview that he had borrowed the vehicle and was on his way to collect his girlfriend. He was later released under investigation.

On July 25 last year, he was driving an Audi again when he was stopped in Bury, Lancashire on suspicion of road-traffic offences. The 26-year-old initially gave officers false details, so they searched the car.

Underneath the passenger seat they found a Cash Converters bag that contained 22 wraps of heroin and a crack-cocaine “rock”. The total street value came to more than £800. Again three mobile phones were found, one of them was “constantly ringing”, Mr Newman said.

Mafaune, of Servia Drive, Meanwood, admitted conspiracy to supply cannabis, two counts of being concerned in supplying a controlled drug, driving while banned and driving without insurance.

He was given 40 months in a young offenders institute in 2018 for his previous drug-dealing conviction.

Mitigating, Andrew Walker said: “He has been addicted to cannabis for number of years and that’s been his downfall as far as he is concerned.”

Judge Tom Bayliss KC criticised Mafaune for waiting until the “11th hour” to admit his guilt, but said it still had to be marked with a lengthy jail spell given his previous conviction.