Middlesbrough dealer tried to blame mum for crack cocaine stash

Around ten grammes of the class A drug and £1,500 in cash were discovered when Cleveland Police raided Stephen Speight’s home.

Teesside Crown Court heard how the 34-year-old tried to involve other people in his drug dealing activities in a series of messages found on a mobile phone.

Dr Christopher Wood, prosecuting, said: “When police executed a warrant, they detained the defendant and his mother who were in his mother’s bedroom.

“Police conducted a search of the property and said to his mother ‘do you remember when I went out last night? Let’s cut through all the bull**** - I took something off someone’.

“The officer took possession of a black handbag and found £1,562 in cash in a purse. The defendant then pulled back the duvet and a black tube was recovered and it contained crack cocaine.”

The court heard how three mobile phones, scales grip seal bags and a dealer list were recovered from the property.

During a police interview, the defendant told officers that he had found the drugs and intended to use them himself.

Speight, of Penny Avenue, Thorntree, Middlesbrough, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply a class A drug following his arrest on November 25, 2024.

Caoimhe Bicknell, mitigating, said her client had a longstanding drug problem and now fully accepted his role in selling the class A drug.

She added that he panicked when he was interviewed for his pre-sentence report and previously blamed his mother for his offending which he no longer does.

Recorder Ayesha Smart sentenced Speight to three years in prison.

“A warrant was executed at your address, a bag containing just over £1,500 in cash was found, a tub with ten grammes of crack cocaine was also found,” she said.

“Three mobile phones were recovered and one had messages indicative not only of supply but also messages relating to costs of drugs and more importantly inviting others to assist you in selling drugs.”