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Bristol Post
Bristol Post
National
Geoffrey Bennett

Cocaine in car not mine, says man, but jury finds him guilty

A man who said someone must have left Class A drugs in his car has been jailed.

Denneshae Martin denied all knowledge of the crack cocaine and heroin found in his vehicle in December 2018.

Police who arrested him and released him under investigation found him with more drugs shortly after.

Martin, 23, of Ingleside Road in Bristol, denied wrongdoing.

But a jury convicted him of four charges of possessing a Class A drug with intent to supply and a fifth of possessing cannabis.

Judge Euan Ambrose jailed him for four years.

He told Martin: "You were an expendable feature of a drug supply line.

"There is some evidence of you being assaulted and put under pressure.

"Evidence at trial did not support the account you gave of significant coercion amounting to duress."

Bristol Crown Court heard police stopped Martin in Bristol on December 8, 2018.

In his car they found crack cocaine and heroin in wraps, ready for supply, as well as a "disposable" mobile phone, the court heard.

Martin's account was someone must have left the drugs in his car and he knew nothing about them.

Having been released under investigation he was stopped by police again, and again found with wraps of heroin and crack cocaine.

James Hay, defending, said his client had undiagnosed learning difficulties and had been a drug user.

Mr Hay told the court: "He was playing a totally expendable role in whatever was going on."

Mr Hay said his client would benefit from professional help to deal with issues.

The court also heard Martin's partner was pregnant, and he wanted to focus on being a father.

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