Thornaby crack cocaine dealer sold drug to undercover officer

Jay Curry sold the officer a £20 deal on a number of occasions in January and February last year and he was introduced to him by two addicts.

Teesside Crown Court heard how the 34-year-old handed over his mobile telephone number to the officer and subsequently set up a number of further deals over a five-week period.

Chris Baker, prosecuting, the officer befriended two drug users on Yarm Road in Stockton as they were making their way to buy drugs of a person called ‘Jay’ and went with them to buy a £20 deal on January 9 last year.

A week later the undercover officer called the defendant and arranged to buy another deal of crack cocaine.

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On February 12, the officer was contacted by the suspect and set up another deal with him and bought another £20 deal.

Mr Baker added there were three other charges of selling crack cocaine in January and the officer was supplied with the Class A drug by another man.

The court heard how he had 55 previous convictions, including him currently service a prison sentence for a violent incident which took place after he was arrested in connection with the drug offences.

Curry, of Whitley Road, Thornaby, pleaded guilty to being concerned with the supply of crack cocaine and three charges of supplying crack cocaine to the undercover police officer.

Jay Curry. Picture: CLEVELAND POLICE (Image: Cleveland Police)

John Nixon, in mitigation, said his client started selling drugs to fund his own habit after losing his job during the Covid pandemic.

He urged the judge to give the defendant credit for his early plea and accepted that he did have a ‘very bad record’ but no previous convictions for drugs offences.

Mr Nixon added: “He understands he is facing a prison sentence of some length.”

Recorder Mark McKone KC locked Curry up for a total of three years and nine months for all charges.

“You were supplying Class A drugs over a period of five weeks,” he said. “You were caught supplying £20 deals to undercover police officers.

“Your case is that you were a drug user and built up a debt and were supplying to repay that debt.

“While other people delivered the drugs after you had taken the telephone calls, you don’t accept you were controlling other people, your case is that other people were controlling you, so I will deal with you on that basis.”

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