Farm worker jailed for selling cocaine over Facebook

A farm worker who had a sideline as a dealer selling cocaine over Facebook has been jailed.
Curtis Caley received 30 months' jail.Curtis Caley received 30 months' jail.
Curtis Caley received 30 months' jail.

Curtis Paul Caley's enterprise in illegal substances came crashing down when police visited his Methley home to quiz about a stolen motorbike, Leeds Crown Court was told this morning.

The panic-stricken 22-year-old was spotted by officers throwing packages out the back bedroom window when they came knocking in January last year.

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They fetched the discarded packages from the flat roof area of the property on Church Lane, which amounted to £500 worth of cocaine separated into 25 bags of £20 deals.

Prosecuting, Anthony Dunne, told the court that a computer search by police found evidence of him offering the drugs for sale over Facebook Messenger.

The Yamaha bike that had been reported stolen from the kitchen of a house in December 2018 was not found, but evidence again found on Facebook suggested Caley had been offering the bike for sale to other Facebook users.

Caley admitted a charge of handling stolen goods and possessing cocaine with an intent to sell.

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A probation report into the defendant had been using cocaine for "emotional management" following a number of tragic events in his life, including witnessing a death at work, that his mother had been diagnosed with cancer and that his girlfriend had suffered a miscarriage.

Mitigating, Jessica Heggie, said that Caley had expressed remorse, having let himself, his family and his employer down, having described his farm work as his "dream job".

His employer had even provided a reference on Caley's behalf, saying it would be a great loss to his business if he was jailed.

Caley is also due to become a father with his partner.

Miss Heggie said: "He has got his head down, he is in full-time employment and there's been a change in mental state. He is doing his best lead a proactive life.

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"He suffered a catalogue of traumatic events. He was struggling to deal with how his life had derailed.

"He does not rely upon that as an excuse, but provides some explanation to the court."

Judge Mushtaq Khokhar said the misery caused by selling drugs meant a custodial sentence was inevitable.

He said: "I have taken into account some of the things that were happening in your life, but let me make it clear that it's not an excuse.

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"A lot of people go through tragedies but they do not end up committing offences.

"You were doing your 'dream job' and content with what you were earning. It's greed or it was to support the sort of lifestyle you wanted to have."

He jailed Caley for 30 months.