Thas Kirubaharan, a 23-year-old student, was found by police staggering in the street and covered in blood in Wolverhampton on May 2. Officers initially focused on his welfare, taking him to hospital, but a subsequent visit to his accommodation led to a drug discovery that resulted in a three-year jail sentence.
Surprising Discovery at Student Accommodation
After being treated at hospital, Kirubaharan was taken to his university accommodation, but police suspected it might be a crime scene, so he stayed in another room. The next day, when police returned, a green pill in a snap bag fell from his pocket, instantly arousing suspicion. Officers then noticed a Deliveroo bag containing bloodied clothes and that Kirubaharan had attempted to factory reset his phone while they were present.
A search of the flat uncovered further green pills, 14 blister packs of alprazolam, numerous phones in various states of repair, and edible cannabis. The pills were later identified as 50 MDMA tablets, worth between £5 and £10 each, totaling £250 to £500.
Previous Convictions and Court Proceedings
In his police interview, Kirubaharan claimed he was suffering from short-term memory loss and insisted he had not dealt drugs since being caught last time. Prosecutor Antonie Miller noted that Kirubaharan has a significant history concerning drugs, including a previous conviction for dealing class A drugs. In December 2022, he received a 20-month sentence, suspended for 24 months, at Guildford Crown Court for possession of cocaine and heroin with intent to supply.
Defending, Devon Small said Kirubaharan had been assaulted and stabbed multiple times, sustaining injuries to his arm, back, and forehead. Small stated, "However, he says he cannot remember what happened. He simply cannot remember how the incident occurred. He said, at the time, he was heavily on drugs. He had been using drugs all day." Small added that the phones seized were ones Kirubaharan had kept over several years and left in the flat.
Sentencing and Future Plans
Kirubaharan, of Windsor Crescent, Harrow, had been on a foundation course at the University of Wolverhampton but put his studies on hold due to the court case. He hoped to return in September to start a four-year degree, with ambitions to establish his own business and step away from criminal offending. However, Judge Jonathan Gosling said the latest crimes were too serious given his not-too-distant previous conviction to justify a non-custodial sentence.
Kirubaharan pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a class A drug MDMA with intent, one count of possession of a class B drug cannabis with intent, and one count of possession of a class C drug alprazolam with intent. He was jailed for three years on Wednesday, August 5.
