A panicking dealer who was being followed by police tried to hide drugs behind wine bottles in a shop. Jamie Cooke, 39, of Willoughby Court in Mansfield, was spotted by two officers as being a suspect in an ongoing investigation, when walking in Sutton-in-Ashfield.
Nottingham Crown Court heard that once Cooke saw the officers he entered a shop on Carsic Lane in an attempt to escape their attention. But the officers entered the store to arrest him and saw him outstretch his arm towards the shelf in a panicked attempt to conceal something.
When officers searched the shelf they found a self-seal plastic bag, which contained wraps of cocaine and heroin, behind a row of wine bottles. Officers arrested Cooke and went on to find further drugs, a burner phone, dealer list, scales and cash after searching his pockets, rucksack and home address.
Following an investigation, Cooke was charged with possession with intent to supply heroin and crack cocaine. He appeared in Nottingham Crown Court on Thursday, January 16 after pleading guilty to the offence.
Jamie Cooke, 39, of Willoughby Court in Mansfield was jailed for two years and two months
(Image: Nottinghamshire Police)
The court was told Cooke had been addicted to Class A drugs for the past 20 years and had become a street dealer to help pay off his own drug debts. In total, officers seized from him 48 wraps of crack cocaine with a street value of up to £500, as well as 16 wraps of heroin worth approximately £130.
Jailing him for two years and two months, Recorder Jas Jandu told him “drugs ruin lives” and that his crimes were serious enough to warrant an immediate prison sentence.
PC Joseph Whant, who oversaw the investigation, said: “We treat drug-related crime extremely seriously as we know the impact it has on vulnerable people and wider society. In this instance, Cooke clearly panicked and wrongly thought he could hide evidence in a public setting.
Jamie Cooke, 39, of Willoughby Court in Mansfield was jailed for two years and two months
(Image: Nottinghamshire Police)
“In doing this, he behaved in a way that was both reckless and dangerous. I dread to think what might have happened if a small child or vulnerable person had found the drugs.
“Thankfully the arresting officers were alert to his deceptiveness and ensured these harmful substances were taken out of circulation. Hopefully this case will send a clear warning to others who think they can outdo the police.”