Ageing drug dealer caught red-handed in Hartlepool continued dealing four times after arrest by Cleveland Police

Michael Collins, 61, dealt in class A, B and C drugs valued at over £100,000 over five years, Teesside Crown Court heard.

He continued dealing even after being caught with significant quantities of drugs and criminal cash on several occasions.

Collins was first stopped by police in the Owton Manor area of Hartlepool in August 2017 when he was caught with cocaine with a wholesale value of between £10,000 and £15,000 in a Tesco carrier bag.

He also had more than £1,000 cash on him and 10 bags of high purity cocaine in his pocket, and amphetamine and more cocaine in the boot of his car.

A search of Collins’ home in Melrose Street uncovered more amphetanine, cannabis bush and the class A drug MDMA.

He was arrested and released under investigation by police. But just over a month later he was found with over £9,000 cash.

More drugs, including 95% pure cocaine was found when his house was searched again.

The judge Recorder David Gordon said: “These items couldn’t have been there when the police searched a month or so earlier.”

Collins was released again, but went on to reoffend when he was caught on Catcote Road with around 2,000 pills in various tranquilizers in is car on February 16 last year.

Recorder Gordon described it as “like a pharmacy in itself.”

He was caught in a car with another man with similar drugs and cannabis last March.

And on May 9 last year, drugs valued at between £36,000 and £47,000 were recovered from two addresses linked to Collins in Port Clarence and York Road, Hartlepool.

Paul Abrahams, prosecuting, said Collins, of Crosby Terrace, Port Clarence, was supplying drugs to users at street level.

He pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply class A, B and C drugs, possession of criminal property and simple possession of a class B drug.

Martin Scarborough, mitigating, said Collins got involved due to a historic debt to criminals saying: “There was some pressure in becoming involved in this offending.”

Jailing Collins for seven years and four months, Recorder Gordon said class A drugs were “poisons” that cause misery to users and families.