By Staff Reporter

Last updated at 09:23, Wednesday, 13 February 2013

A man caught taking a bag of powder to a house being searched by the drug squad has admitted being involved with a major drug-dealing ring.

Geoffrey Fearon, 39, was arrested after turning up with his incriminating parcel in the middle of the raid on the house in Brook Street, Flimby, near Maryport, on August 17 last year.

The raid followed the discovery of 15kg of amphetamine sulphate, which would have been worth £150,000 if sold on the street, after police stopped and searched a black BMW on Wedgwood Road in Flimby.

Fearon, of Farmers Way, Flimby, was originally charged with being part of a conspiracy to supply the class B drug but that charge was dropped when he pleaded guilty instead to the less serious offence of being concerned in supplying amphetamines. The court heard that the prosecution now accepted Fearon played only a minor part.

His involvement went no further than the single occasion when he was caught taking the bag – which contained glucose, to be used as a cutting agent for the illegal drug – to the house.

Fearon hoped to be sentenced yesterday, having already served six months in prison – longer than he was likely to get as punishment for the offence.

But Judge Barbara Forrester said he could not be sentenced on his own, and would have to be dealt with at the same time as two men who had previously admitted playing a bigger role in the conspiracy.

In the meantime he was remanded back into custody.

“His role is markedly different from the others,” Mark Shepherd, defending, told the court.

“Clearly he is not, and was not, part of the conspiracy to which they have pleaded guilty.

“His involvement could adequately be reflected in the custodial sentence he has already served while on remand.”

Fearon will be sentenced on March 7, alongside Darren Williams, 41, of Brook Street, Flimby, and Luke Pickering, 30, of Bog Height Road in Darwen, Lancashire, who are both also in custody after pleading guilty to conspiring to supply drugs.

First published at 09:21, Wednesday, 13 February 2013
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk