'Functioning' Telford drug addict, 62, turned to dealing late in life after suffering three strokes, court hears

Neil Adams was a “functioning drug addict” before he turned to dealing late on in his adult life, Shrewsbury Crown Court was told.

Prosecutor Danny Smith told how plain clothes police officers in an unmarked vehicle busted Adams, who was driving a Nissan Juke in Holyhead Road, Ketley, Telford on July 14, 2022.

They stopped him at around 11.45am and searched his car where they found two Kinder Egg-style plastic containers stuffed down one of the passenger seats.

In one of the containers was 22 wraps of crack cocaine and in the other was 19 wraps of heroin.

The estimated street value of the drugs was £420.

“He also had a bag with one wrap of a class A drug,” Mr Smith said.

Officers also seized a Samsung mobile phone and £70 in cash.

The phone was examined and had “messages typical of drug dealing,” Mr Smith said.

Adams was arrested and interviewed by police. He admitted possession of the drugs but denied dealing, saying he was a user who had enough money to “buy in bulk”.

Mr Smith said there were “some elements” suggesting Adams played a “significant role” in the drug dealing chain, saying he would have “had some awareness of the scale of the operation”.

Adams, of Cyril Hayward Court, Hadley, Telford, pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of a class A drug with intent to supply.

When he committed the offence he was in breach of a conditional discharge imposed by the magistrates court after being caught shoplifting 10 times.

Paul Smith, mitigating, said Adams used to be a “functioning” addict who funded his habit through legitimate employment.

However, he said Adams had a stroke while driving and crashed his car in 2017, and then a second stroke in the ambulance on the way to hospital. He said Adams has suffered a third stroke since then and now has mobility difficulties after having to relearn to walk.

“After the strokes he could no longer work,” Mr Smith said. “He went on benefits and built up a (drug) debt.”

He said Adams owed around £500, that someone held a knife to him and that others  involved in the dealing warned that he “might get a visit” if he did not do as he was ordered.

Mr Smith added that Adams has sought the help of Telford Stars addiction rehabilitation centre and is off heroin but still using crack cocaine.

Judge Richard McConaghy KC told Adams: “I cannot imagine you ever thought at the age of 62 you would be sat in the dock at a crown court with the distinct possibility of being sent to prison.

“You were selling drugs to street users. There was some element of pressure on you. You had health difficulties before and after this incident took place.”

He said Adams’s offending passed the custody threshold, but took into consideration his health issues, the pressure he was under and the fact he felt there was a “realistic prospect of rehabilitation”, to decide not to send him immediately to jail.

The judge handed Adams a 23-month prison sentence, suspended for two years. Adams must also do 15 rehabilitation activity days. Judge McConaghy deemed Adams unfit for unpaid work and did not issue any financial penalties due to his lack of means.

The judge ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the drugs and paraphernalia, and the seizure of the £70 cash. He took no further action on Adams’s conditional discharge breach.

“Count yourself very fortunate today,” Judge McConaghy told Adams. “Don’t waste the chance you have been given.”