"he had those weapons for protection in case he was attacked"
Nasir Habib, aged 30, of no fixed address, was jailed for 30 months after police found him with more than 100 wraps of heroin and crack cocaine. The drug dealer was also found with an axe and a metal baseball bat.
Derby Crown Court heard that officers found the weapons and drugs when they searched Habib’s Toyota Corolla.
On February 11, 2020, officers noticed the car parked up in Netherclose Street, Normanton, Derby, and watched what they believed to be a drug deal take place inside it.
Sarah Slater, prosecuting, explained that they noticed a second man approach the vehicle. Officers decided to see what was happening.
Miss Slater said: “The defendant was sat in the front passenger seat and they asked him to unlock the door.
“They could see there was a large amount of money in a compartment.
“He unlocked the door and they searched the car and inside a yellow carrier bag were 118 wraps of drugs.
“Sixty-seven of them were crack cocaine and 51 of them were heroin in £10 deals meaning a total value of £1,180.”
Officers found a metal axe in a driver’s side pocket compartment and a metal baseball bat was on a seat in the back.
Miss Slater added: “It must be the case that he had those weapons for protection in case he was attacked because of the drug dealing.”
A total of £320 was found in the front of the car and Habib had another £30 on him.
He was arrested but when questioned, he answered “no comment”. He later pleaded guilty to two counts of possession with intent to supply Class A drugs and two counts of possession of an offensive weapon.
The court heard he had not been in trouble for almost 10 years but turned to drug dealing after getting into debt.
In mitigation, Claire Moran said that her client has been with his current partner for the past year.
She said: “He was homeless at the time of the offence, living out of his car and in a difficult financial position.
“He had amassed credit card debts and was receiving calls from bailiffs on a daily basis.”
“He is not a user of heroin or crack cocaine but he has been dealing the drugs to get himself out of his financial situation.”
Judge Shaun Smith QC told the drug dealer:
“You have previous convictions for cannabis and it was this that got you back into the class A world.
“I want it to be known that somebody like you, who within one month of having been arrested pleads guilty, saves the court and the general public time and money because the drugs and phones seized will not have to be analysed and because of that you will receive extra credit.”
Derby Telegraph reported that Habib was sentenced to 30 months in prison.
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