A ‘pathetic’ drug dealer who was 'roped into selling' at crazy golf by a Liverpool gang boss has escaped jail.
David James McNeill from Blackpool was caught by undercover police selling heroin and crack cocaine on three occasions.
McNeil, who was given the code name Hurricane, was dealing drugs on behalf of a Liverpool crime boss known as Scouse Tommy, as reported by Lancs Live.
At Preston Crown Court prosecutor Kimberley Obrusik said: “On October 10, 2019 an undercover officer called Robbie phoned Scouse Tommy and a male answered with a strong Liverpudlian accent.
“He told Robbie to meet at the crazy golf on the (Blackpool) Promenade. Robbie joined a group of four other suspected users, he asked if they were waiting for Tommy and they said yes.
“Hurricane (McNeill) approached on a bike, he was seen to be holding a snap bag with approximately 15 wraps of brown powder and a white substance. Robbie bought two wraps of heroin and one of crack cocaine.”
The court heard that the undercover officer met McNeill on two other occasions in October of 2019 after arranging a deal using the Scouse Tommy line.
On October 14 Robbie saw McNeill sat on a table outside a bar and bought two wraps of heroin and one wrap of crack cocaine for £20.
The following week, on October 21, the officer saw McNeill riding his bike and asked if he was ‘on’ which refers to a dealer supplying drugs.
Ms Obrusik added: “He said he only had white then he would reload.
“Some time later, on December 19, the officer saw the defendant, no drug exchange was made on that occasion but when he spoke to him about Class A drugs he provided him with an updated number.”
The court heard McNeill was brought to justice as part of a long-running investigation called Operation Spalding which has seen a number of other dealers sentenced over the last week.
Defence barrister John Woodward said McNeill had been dealing drugs for Scouse Tommy to pay off his own debt.
Mr Woodward said: ““He was in debt and Scouse Tommy directed him to supply in order to pay off his debt.
“In the summer of 2020 he had an operation on his groin, because he was injecting heroin, and when he came out of hospital he did pretty well.
“He was on heroin substitute Subutex but unfortunately he was arrested for these matters and in custody it was replaced with methadone.
“He and methadone don’t get on and he feels he has taken a step back because of the methadone. He wants to revert to a life without drugs.”
Judge Andrew Jefferies QC told McNeill he was ‘one of those pathetic individuals who get roped into doing other people’s dirty work’.
The judge added: “They remain in their flash cars no doubt, creaming off the big profits while you end up in court.”
McNeill, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to five counts of supplying Class A drugs and was given a 21-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months.
He was also told to complete a drug rehabilitation programme and 35 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement days.
