A 36-year-old man who admitted to police he was a ‘silly boy’ for having illegal drugs in his home has been jailed for six months.
Gavin Nixon, of Forrest Park, appeared before Derry Crown Court where he pleaded guilty to possession of Diazepam with intent to supply and being concerned in the supply of cocaine, cannabis and Diazepam.
The offences took place between January and March 2014.
The court heard that during a search of his home by police on March 12, 2014, he was asked if he had any illegal drugs in his home.
He replied, ‘Yip’ and took the police to his bedroom where he handed them a bag containing 514 Diazepam tablets.
The drugs and a mobile phone were seized and Nixon was arrested and cautioned to which he replied, ‘Silly boy’.
Texts on Nixon’s phone confirmed the supply of Diazepam which he claimed he had bought direct and supplied to three or four friends.
On February 2, 2014, Nixon admitted he had an ounce of cocaine prepared to supply but he never actually did supply it and that he had supplied cannabis over a two and a half month period.
He claimed it was for him and another friend but texts showed he supplied to more than one other person and there was also evidence of Diazepam supply on texts.
Nixon was described as a ‘low level dealer with no trappings of wealth’.
Crown Court Judge Philip Babington said: “As so often happens in this city, users turn into dealers.
“Nixon has 60 previous, including seven for drugs. Most of these are simple possession but one is a previous possession of and possession of Class C with intent to supply from 2007 and he got a two year sentence for that and three months after detection for these current offences, he got two months for simple possession.”
The court was told that Nixon suffered from alcohol and substance issues which he ‘may or may not have under control’ alongside medical problems that require regular attention and also had to deal with family issues.
Judge Babington said: “It’s hard to understand why someone with his problems and difficulties deals drugs.”
He added there had been a significant delay in the case taking two years from detection to arraignment.
Judge Babington said: “These are serious matters relating to the supply of three different drugs by someone involved in misuse and supply for a long time.”
Nixon was given a 12 month sentence, six months of which are to be spent in prison and six months to be spent released on licence.
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