A teenage Nottingham drug dealer’s illicit operation ended when police discovered text messages relating to the sale of illegal substances on his phone.
Cole O’Leary was with a work colleague when the car they were travelling in was stopped in Broxtowe Estate, Nottingham, in March 2023.
Officers suspected they were involved in drug crime after noticing a strong smell of cannabis from inside the car.
When questioned about the smell, O’Leary – who was aged 17 at the time – was hesitant to answer and looked nervous, while the colleague denied there was any cannabis in the car.
Both occupants were searched and a small bag of cannabis was found in O’Leary’s coat pocket. Officers also searched the car and found two bags of the Class B drug under the driver’s seat, which the colleague admitted belonged to him.
The pair were arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply cannabis after officers discovered messages on their phones that implied they had been selling drugs.
O’Leary, now aged 20, went on to be further arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply a Class A drug after a detailed examination of his mobile phone found he had offered to supply, on many different occasions, both cocaine and cannabis to a large client base.
In a police interview, O’Leary denied any intention to supply drugs or being concerned in the supply of drugs. Whilst he stated that the mobile phone belonged to him, he told officers his girlfriend and some friends had also used his phone and that there was “no proof” he was a drug dealer.
However the investigation found his account was not plausible, as messages sent to the device addressed the intended recipient as “Cole”.
As such, charges were authorised and O’Leary, of Doe Royd Crescent, Sheffield, went on to plead guilty to being concerned in the supply of Class A and B drugs and he was sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court on Tuesday (22 July).
He received a sentence of two years in youth detention, suspended for two years, and ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work.
Court proceedings in relation to the colleague are ongoing.
Investigating officer Detective Constable David Passmore said:
“Drugs can destroy lives and have a negative impact on the communities affected.
“That is why we work tirelessly to identify those who peddle these illegal substances using methods such as seizing devices and analysing text messages.
“As O’Leary has now discovered, drug dealers should expect us to find and stop them in their tracks and bring them before the courts.”
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