Man sentenced over drugs offences in Burton

A man has been sentenced to two years in a young offender’s institution after pleading guilty to drugs offences in Burton.

Luqman Yousaf, aged 20, of St James Road, Derby, was stopped by officers on two separate occasions in the town last year.

The first occasion was in the Sainsbury’s car park on Union Street at about 5pm on 28 July last year. When officers made attempts to detain him he ran off, but was detained nearby. He was found to have two mobile phones, a small amount of cash and Class A drugs in his sock and arrested. A knife was also recovered nearby.

The second occasion saw Yousaf acting suspiciously with two others on Horninglow Road at about 2.20pm on 23 November. He was stopped and searched and was found to be in possession of two mobile phones, cash and multiple wraps of heroin and crack cocaine, so he was arrested.

Yousaf was later charged with possession with intent to supply a controlled Class A drug – Cocaine, and having a bladed article in a public place from July, and possession with intent to supply a Class A drug - crack, possession with intent to supply a Class A drug - heroin, possessing criminal property and possessing a controlled drug of Class B - cannabis from November.

He pleaded guilty to all charges, and was sentenced at Stafford Crown Court on Wednesday (5 May).

He was handed 24 months’ detention in a young offender institution, ordered to forfeit £275 in cash, ordered to dispose of his remaining drugs and destroy all paraphernalia, and pay a victim surcharge of £156 for the possession of the heroin; 24 months’ detention to run concurrently for the crack possession; 20 months’ detention to run concurrently for the cocaine possession; two months’ detention to run concurrently for the possession of the bladed article; one month’s detention to run concurrently for possessing the criminal property; and one month’s detention to run concurrently for the cannabis possession.