Sheffield drug-dealer is caged after police found extensive evidence of dealing at a property

Sheffield Crown Court heard on August 18 how Travis O’Grady, aged 21, was found by police to have evidence of heroin and crack-cocaine dealing at a home on Oxford Street, at Upperthorpe, Sheffield, with evidence of drug-dealing also found on a mobile phone and in a notebook.

Ashleigh Metcalfe, prosecuting, said police searched the property and discovered evidence of drug-dealing including cocaine, cannabis, a phone and notebook with messages and notes indicative of drug-dealing, a knife with traces of cocaine, and £4,030 in cash.

O’Grady who has previous convictions for possessing drugs with intent to supply was also found to have cocaine on him after he had been fidgeting with his clothing.

The judge – Recorder Simon Eckersley – told O’Grady: “It is plain you are a drug-user because when arrested in February, 2021, in addition to the drugs, in addition to the phone indicating you were a supplier of drugs, in addition to the money which was your profit from the sale of drugs, I have noticed there were items and paraphernalia consistent with the use of drugs.

"It’s plain you knew the blight that drug-use causes and the devastation that drugs cause particularly to class A users and to society as well.”

Ms Metcalfe said O’Grady has two previous convictions for possessing drugs with intent to supply and while under investigation following the police raid in February, 2021, he was also convicted for conspiring to supply cannabis in March, 2021, and was convicted in August, 2021, for possessing class A drugs with intent to supply.

She added the defendant is currently serving a three-year custodial sentence concerning the August, 2021 conviction, and he was due for release in December, 2022.

Recorder Eckersley told O’Grady: “On multiple occasions you have been convicted of your involvement in the criminal offence of supplying class A drugs and indeed class B drugs.”

O’Grady, who is a serving prisoner at Moorland young offender institution, in Doncaster, pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of heroin, possessing crack-cocaine with intent to supply, possessing class B drug cannabis, possessing class A drug cocaine and possessing criminal property after the raid in February, 2021.

Eleanor Durdy, defending, said O’Grady apologises for his offending and accepts he has a “less than desirable” record of previous convictions.

Ms Durdy added O’Grady has had a long-term drug addiction which started with cannabis at school and he has been diagnosed with ADHD and he has issues with depression and anxiety.

O’Grady has also struggled with the death of a friend who was stabbed in 2018, according to Ms Durdy, and the defendant was also attacked in 2019 and left with serious injuries to his hands.

Recorder Eckersley who sentenced O’Grady to 20 months of custody said that messages advertising the sale of illicit substances on the defendant’s phone showed he had access to all manner of drugs which he was prepared to supply.

He told O’Grady: “It’s plain you have been in the trade of supplying drugs between the ages of 16 and 21.”