Armed Sheffield drug dealer caught with heroin and crack cocaine given chance to change

Sheffield Crown Court heard on October 7 how Aaron Gangadeen, aged 21, of Vikinglea Glade, near Woodthorpe, Sheffield, was found by police on Bowden Wood Road, near Darnall, Sheffield, with a flick knife as well as heroin and crack cocaine valued at £4,060.

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Louise Gallagher, prosecuting, said Gangadeen had been a passenger in a vehicle which was stopped by police and after he fled he was caught and found to have a flick knife, 15 packages of heroin and 40 dealer bags of crack cocaine.

Ms Gallagher said: “The Crown says he is a street-dealer of class A drugs who carries a weapon for protection.”

Officers also found weighing scales in the vehicle and Gangadeen had £1,581 in cash, two SIM cards and two mobile phones with messages consistent with street-level drug dealing, according to Ms Gallagher.

Ms Gallagher said the drugs were valued at £4,060 and she requested that the £1,581 in cash be formerly confiscated.

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Gangadeen, who has no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to possessing a bladed article in public, possessing heroin with intent to supply and possessing crack cocaine with intent to supply after the incident on January 20, 2020.

Richard Barradell, defending, said Gangadeen started taking class A drugs and he had to start dealing for his suppliers to pay off his drug-related debt.

He added: “He came up from London. Got involved with the wrong crowd. Started to dabble in class A drugs and got into debt and it’s the same sad old story.”

Mr Barradell urged the judge to consider Gangadeen’s young age and that he has no previous convictions and that the case has taken so long to come court.

Recorder Paul Reid told Gangadeen such offending attracts prison sentences but he had to consider that the defendant is still young and of previous good character.

He also pointed out that there has been an unconscionable delay in bringing the case to justice and in the meantime Gangadeen had kept out of trouble.

Recorder Reid agreed to defer sentencing until January 27 to consider Gangadeen’s progress and he told the defendant he had Mr Barradell’s expertise to thank for the opportunity.