A drug dealer who was caught selling out of a crack house has been locked up for peddling the "evil" drug.
Police officers watched a known drug addict turn up at the flat where Christopher Fretter was staying to secure his latest hit, Teesside Crown Court heard.
The 45-year-old told the user to push the cash through the letterbox before he could pick up his crack cocaine and then officers moved in to arrest the defendant.
Adrian Strong, prosecuting, said police initially recovered 35 deals of crack cocaine while further searches revealed cocaine hidden on his clothing as well as around £800 in cash.
He said: “The flat was searched and further £20 deals of crack cocaine were recovered in his bedroom along with a number of empty grip seal bags as the building was being used in the preparation of street deals.
“Scales and a mobile phone were recovered before being downloaded where messages consistent with drug dealing were found.”
The court heard how Fretter had 38 convictions for 50 offences including a previous sentence for drug dealing.
Fretter, of Bishopton Lane, Stockton, pleaded guilty to two charges of possession with intent to supply a controlled drug of class A – crack cocaine and cocaine.
Victoria Lamballe, mitigating, said her client was effectively homeless and living in a tent at the time as well as suffering from a longstanding drug addiction himself, which he is trying to address.
She said: “There does appear to be some green shoots of progress in his pre-sentence report as he is accessing mental health support like he has never done so before.”
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Judge Amanda Rippon sentenced Fretter to three years in prison for both offences.
“You have to be sentenced two charges of possession with intent to supply two different Class A drugs – cocaine and the rather evil crack cocaine,” she said.
“The expert assessed that the total value of the drugs was £970, there were grip seal bags, scales and a phone with drug related messages.
“It is clear that you were part of a drugs house, part of an operation to provide drugs and I accept that you were not in charge of it by a long stretch – you were involved because you were trying to ensure you could secure your own drug addiction.”
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