Leeds drug dealer caught 'unsuccessfully' attempting to buy cannabis in bulk after trying to distract police officers

The court heard Dante Knight-Mitchell, of Lower Wortley Road, was stopped by police last year, and attempted to “distract” officers from a stash of drugs and cash in the back of his car.

Police would also soon find texts on his phone showing he was attempting to buy large amounts of cannabis, but did not have the funds to do so.

The court heard Knight-Mitchell, 23, was unemployed at the time and had stacked up drug debts, which he was dealing to help pay off.

On the evening of Sunday, March 14, 2021, police officers stopped a car containing Knight-Mitchell as he was driving without headlights on.

The defendant offered up a small bag of cannabis to police. After searching the car, officers found another 86 grams of cannabis, with a street value of £780, as well as £245 in notes.

When police investigated his phone, they found numerous texts showing he was “engaged in attempting to supply cannabis”.

The prosecuting barrister added: “The phone reveals that he was attempting to get further supplies, but unsuccessfully because he did not have cash to buy in bulk, and nobody wanted to give him anything on tick.”

Knight-Mitchell pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply.

A probation officer told the court that Knight-Mitchell was unemployed but not claiming benefits at the time, and owed £1,500 for his own cannabis debts, about which he had been threatened.

She also listed a number of health problems he was suffering from.

Mitigating, Robin Frieze said: “The courts take a dim view of drug dealing. But he is only 23 – he was 21 at the time.

"This is his only brush with criminality.”

Sentencing Knight-Mitchell, Recorder Peter Hampton said: “You offered up a small amount of cannabis to officers, in the hope it would distract them from the cannabis in the back of the car – they were always going to find it. This was naive of you.

"Things are not going to get any easier for you – in the future, I hope you are going to change your priorities.”

Knight-Mitchell was sentenced to nine months imprisonment, suspended for 12 months.