Four Sheffield drug-dealers linked to a deceased stab victim are due to be sentenced at crown court

Sheffield Crown Court heard on March 22 how Jason Baker, aged 40, Derice Cohen, aged 19, Ethan Hallows, aged 20, and Travis O’Grady, aged 20, have all admitted conspiring to supply cannabis.

Ian Hudson, prosecuting, said Baker received a call from a potential customer and there was communication between the co-defendants and an arrangement was made for a young man called Kavan Brissett to meet the customer to conduct a drug deal.

Mr Hudson added there were clearly orchestrated efforts between the four defendants to bring the customer together with Kavan Brissett with the sole purpose of transacting drugs.

He said: "Whether that transaction took place is a moot point because there was violence resulting in the death of Kavan Brissett.”

Mr Hudson said: “Clearly there was a chain for two men to meet with the intention of a transaction of drugs.”

The court heard how Kavan Brissett was stabbed after he had been dropped off at Philadelphia Gardens, Upperthorpe, Sheffield, and he later died in hospital after the incident on August 14, 2018.

Judge Graham Reeds QC previously directed a jury to return not guilty verdicts for the defendants with regards to original charges of conspiracy to commit robbery which all the defendants had denied prior to a scheduled trial.

However, the defendants, who all have previous convictions, including Baker, of Queen Mary Rise, near Woodthorpe, Cohen, of Birch House Avenue, Oughtibridge, Hallows, of Stannington Road, Stannington, and O’Grady, of Oxford Street, near Upperthorpe, have all pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class B drug cannabis.

The court heard Cohen claimed he had facilitated only a small street deal while Hallows claimed he had simply driven Kavan Brissett.

O’Grady claimed he had spoken to Baker about sourcing cannabis, according to the court, and Baker claimed he had put the customer in touch with his co-defendants.

Meyrick Williams, defending, said Cohen was only aged 17 at the time of the offending and if the case had been dealt with sooner he could have been dealt with as a youth and may have been spared from a custodial sentence.

The court heard Hallows was also 17 at the time of the offending and Rebecca Stevens also pointed out O’Grady too had only been aged 17 at the time.

Ms Stevens described O’Grady as being immature at the time of the offence and that he has suffered flashbacks and nightmares after the death of Kavan Brissett.

James Horne, defending Baker, who has been recalled to prison after he had been released on licence for a previous conviction of murder, said his client had gone some time without reoffending and his partner and newborn child have been a positive influence and motivation for him.

Judge Reeds adjourned the hearing until March 23 when he is expected to sentence the accused.

Police previously reported how 21-year-old Sheffield boxer Kavan Brissett was stabbed near to Langsett Walk, Sheffield, on August 14, 2018, and died four days later as a result of his injuries.

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