AN 'INTELLIGENT' Carlisle man who sold heroin to his friends came close to losing his life because of his addiction, a court heard.

Alistair Pape, 39, who has previous convictions for dealing drugs, was sentenced at the city’s crown court after he pleaded guilty to an offence of possessing the class A drug with intent to supply.

He was caught on March 25 this year when police raided his home in Garden Street, Carlisle. The officers found the defendant sitting in the kitchen, and he appeared to be attempting to retrieve or conceal something in a cupboard, prosecutor Robert Wyn-Jones told the court.

In their search of the property, police found, hidden in a cupboard, some 40g of heroin with a potential street value of £2,000, though the purity of the drug was not established.

The officers also found a bag of 'adulterant' material.

The drugs paraphernalia included digital scales and two mobile phones.

“In a prepared statement, he said that the drugs were for personal use,” said Mr Wyn-Jones. As part of his guilty plea, Pape admitted that he had been supplying the drug to his friends.

The prosecutor said that the defendant’s previous convictions consisted of 27 offences, including offences of possessing drugs with intent to supply them.

'Addiction had a terrible hold'

Judith McCullough, defending, said Pape had been able to stop using drugs and recover some of his health since he was taken into custody.

“He is under no illusion as to how close he came to losing his life,” said the barrister. “He now sees what a terrible hold that addiction has had over him.” 

The defendant now also appreciated the toll his addiction had taken on his health, having been so dangerously ill that he had needed emergency hospital treatment on several occasions.

Both his physical and mental health were affected, said Miss McCullough.

But while in custody, he had engaged with support services and enrolled for a college course and he had also made an appointment to have a medical assessment of a serious head injury – a medical condition he had previously ignored.

Fearful of leaving his home, he could not face travelling to hospital to deal with his medical issues.

Miss McCullough said it was hoped that the prosecution would be a catalyst for change for the defendant. “He’s 39 and plainly an intelligent man,” continued the barrister. “He wants to move on with his life.”

Judge Richard Archer noted that the defendant was no stranger to being sentenced for drug related offending and he had a relevant previous conviction for possessing class A drugs with intent to supply.

The judge said he did not blame the defendant for having done little to assist himself but added: “It doesn’t amount to an excuse for your behaviour – and even less so when you have the previous convictions you have.” 

He jailed Pape for 27 months.

'Among our policing priorities'

DC James Gisborne was the officer overseeing the investigation.

Speaking after the sentencing, he said: “Disrupting community drug supply is among our policing priorities in Cumbria.

“Drugs criminals should know that we will target them robustly and bring them to justice.

“We have a strong track record of this in Cumbria and will continue our efforts to tackle the crime surrounding high harm drugs such as heroin.”

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