A judge said she would ‘test the resolve’ of a drug dealer before deciding whether to send him to jail.
Recovering heroin addict Hadil Iqbal pleaded guilty to supplying heroin and being concerned in the making of an offer to supply heroin.
However Judge Simon Medland QC said he will take the ‘unusual course’ of deferring the 38-year-old’s sentence for six months to see if he can continue to live a drug-free life.
Burnley Crown Court heard how police spotted Iqbal, of Richmond Road, Accrington, dealing in heroin on March 19 last year.
Sara Dodd, prosecuting, told the court how officers saw another man ‘loitering’ on the corner of Richmond Road before Iqbal ‘waved him over’ and gave him three wraps of heroin.
When police went to Iqbal’s home they failed to stop him swallowing something but seized a mobile phone.
It showed a text to the other man at 8am the same day saying ‘good stuff, big bags on, need let me know’.
The court heard how Iqbal had been a regular drug user and if he had any spare he would sell it on to raise money for more drugs. He was previously jailed for 52 months back in 2006 for drugs and supply offences.
Mark Stuart, defending, said Iqbal had taken ‘giant steps’ towards ridding himself of his addiction to class A drugs.
Referring to a letter sent to the court by Iqbal’s partner, he told how she made the defendant leave the family home as she could ‘no longer take it any more’ and that his mental health had started to become affected.
However Mr Stuart said his partner felt Iqbal had reached a ‘turning point’ through the Inspire drugs misuse service and she had seen a ‘great improvement in him’.
Sentencing, Recorder Medland QC told Iqbal: “I’m going to take the most unusual course in this case and defer sentence. The purpose is basically to test your resolve. If in this six month period you maintain your course of treatment with Inspire then I will impose a suspended sentence. However if you don’t and commit further offences or maintain a drug addicted lifestyle then you can expect to immediately go to prison.”Recorder Medland QC said the probation service felt he no longer posed an ‘ongoing threat’ and had complied with his bail.
The sentencing hearing was deferred to November 23.
