By Gavin Mackintosh-
A drug dealer, John Knowles, caught with over £3,000 worth of high purity heroin and cocaine at his home in West Yorkshire has been locked up for three-and-a-half years. Knowles was jailed after Leeds Crown Court heard cops discovered cocaine and heroine in his wardrobe. Knowles fled the property but was eventually caught after a chase by police.
Cops discovered even more drugs and £3,819 in cash during a subsequent search of the property. Also discovered was a large quantity of a cooking agent believed to have been used to mix with the drugs before being sold. Knowles was released on bail but was arrested again after a dangerous driving incident. Police Community Support Officers on the later occasion spotted Knowles sitting in his car as he was parked on Sowgate Lane, Pontefract. Leeds Crown Court heard that Knowles appeared “frantic” when the officers approached the car, causing him to start the engine and drive off.
Jailed: John Knowles
The court heard that one of the officers had to jump out of the way of the vehicle as John Knowles drove off. After eventually being traced to Knowles , the vehicle was found parked outside his home later that day. Knowles received a suspended sentence for dangerous driving and having no insurance at the time of the incident. Knowles pleaded guilty to possession of heroin and cocaine with intent to supply, possessing criminal property, dangerous driving, driving while disqualified, having no insurance and breaching a suspended sentence order.
Knowles’s lawyer, Richard Canning, said Knowles had agreed to allow others store the drugs and cash at his home after he became addicted to cocaine. He said: “We are talking about a cocaine addict who got involved to fund his own habit, not to make money from others.” Defence like this is typical in drug dealing cases, but jurors always see past that. The presence of drugs and so much cash made the intentions and activities of Knowles very clear. If Knowles did not have as much as £3,000 on him, and the amount of drugs seen at his home, he could have argue the drugs found was for personal use, but such argument gave him no legs to stand on.