A Darlington cocaine dealer has been jailed for 30 months

Jamie Letten had almost £3,000 in cash and up to £4,400 worth of Class A drugs stashed around his home more than two years ago.

The 29-year-old’s finger print was found on one of the plastic bags where the drugs were stashed, Teesside Crown Court heard.

Police found a set of scales, £2,530 in cash alongside 54.3g of cocaine in one room of the flat before finding a £10 deal of cocaine and a further £400 in cash in another room.

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Letten, of Martindale, Road, Darlington, was convicted of one charge of possession with intent to supply a Class A drug following the raid at2.30am on March 5, 2021.

Robert Mochrie, prosecuting, said his client was vulnerable and had now accessed mental health services to address his problems.

“At the time he was himself using cocaine,” he said. “There is an explanation about how his fingerprint was found on the plastic bag was because he was himself a user.”

Jamie Letten (Image: Durham Constabulary)

Judge Chris Smith sentenced Letten to 30 months in prison, saying: “I have read a lot about you and I know you have got lots of problems and you do your best to cope with them.

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“I worry of this case will not have helped but you are going to lose that worry at the end of this hearing because it is going to finish today.

“The police came to your flat and they found quite a lot of cocaine and found a lot of money - you were playing your part in some dealing of cocaine and controlled drugs cause a lot of problems for people.”

He added: “I think you got yourself in deep and you were taken advantage of but you knew you were doing the wrong thing.

“This case is so serious that I have to lock you up. I have come to the conclusion that the best possible sentence I can impose is one of two years and six months.”