Jamie McKeown, 45, has walked free from Wolverhampton Crown Court after admitting possession with intent to supply crack cocaine and heroin. Police found the drugs, worth more than £900, hidden in a man bag around his neck during a patrol in Lower Villiers Street, Blakenhall, on September 24 last year.
Prosecutor Dean Easthope told the court that officers were alerted to a vehicle at about 3.50pm. McKeown tried to get out of the car and was taken to the ground. A search revealed 60 wraps of crack cocaine, weighing 5.4g, and 35 wraps of heroin, weighing 3.06g. The drugs were in 0.1g bags or £10 deals. Police also seized £380 cash from a wallet and three phones.
Court hears of 'bottom of the food chain' dealer
McKeown, of Bulger Road, Bilston, had 18 convictions for 32 offences between 1996 and 2021, including dishonesty and violence, but none for drugs. He pleaded guilty on a basis, describing how he was dealing to pay off a debt accumulated due to his own habit. The debt was originally £500 but increased to £1,000.
Stephen Cadwaladr, defending, confirmed McKeown 'wanted money to pay a debt' and received £80 for a '16-hour day', adding it was 'not an enormous amount of money'. The court heard McKeown was 'repeatedly seriously threatened' and that since a robbery in 2008, his crimes have 'largely been minor offending connected with his homelessness and drug addiction'. Cadwaladr said: "He was very much bottom of the food chain."
Judge credits 'motivation and determination'
Sentencing, Recorder Barker said McKeown turned to 'dealing for his debtors' after his debt 'increased significantly'. Although he would have had 'some awareness' of the scale, he was not receiving 'significant' financial gain. She said: "People, like the defendant, who are dealing drugs on the streets are not, in my experience, the people who are making significant amounts of money from drug dealing."
McKeown's lifestyle at the time suggested he was not making 'significant amounts of money', and he was 'clearly acting under instruction from others' without influence on those higher up in the chain. Recorder Barker noted he had taken steps to address his addiction and made 'significant progress' since his arrest, crediting his 'motivation and determination'. She said: "I do not underestimate how hard that must have been given the length of time you have been dependent on illegal drugs."
Suspended sentence and rehabilitation order
The defendant has a 'realistic prospect of rehabilitation', she added. She went on: "I'm not going to undo any of the hard work you have done to address your offending and improve your prospects. You are right to be proud of yourself."
McKeown was handed a 24-month sentence, suspended for three years, with a 15-day rehabilitation activity requirement and a six-month trail monitoring requirement. After delivering her sentence, Recorder Barker told McKeown: "I sincerely wish you all the best and I hope you keep up the good work and I hope, with that good work, you reap the benefits and you are able to improve you life. Well done."
