Drug dealer caught selling super-strength cannabis

Liam Galloway (22), was caught dealing skunk in Parkgate last year, Sheffield Crown Court heard on Friday.

Chief Insp Chris Foster spotted Galloway on Broad Street on January 27 last year when he was a wanted man, Mr Stephen Grattage, prosecuting, said.

“The defendant was seen to pass a small package to the man he was with — he was anxious,” Mr Grattage said.

“He was detained and admitted he had some weed and had a tube containing sealed packages of cannabis.”

Four of the bags had an average of 741 milligrams of cannabis in them, said Mr Grattage.

A fifth bag contained 719 milligrams of skunk — a highly potent type of cannabis.

Each bag had a street value of £10, said Mr Grattage.

Texts were found on Galloway’s phone which showed he had been dealing the drugs, such as ‘Want any bud?’ and ‘You need any weed?’

Galloway, of Gilberthorpe Street, Rotherham, pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing at Sheffield Crown Court to possession of cannabis with intent to supply.

He has four convictions for five previous offences and he was serving a community order when he was caught with the cannabis, Mr Grattage said.

Recorder Anthony Hawks gave Galloway 12 months in prison, suspended for 18 months, and 25 days of rehabilitation activity requirement.

He also ordered him to do 100 hours of unpaid work.

“You tried to join the Army but then, through no fault of your own, were discharged on medical grounds,” he said.

“Three things count in your favour — the fact you have no relevant convictions, the fact you had the good sense to plead guilty, and in the current Covid climate, courts are told to avoid sending people to prison unless it’s absolutely necessary.

“If you commit another offence in the next 18 months, you are in breach of the order and you are likely to be locked up.”