Sheffield Crown Court: Drug addict who supplied undercover police officer with crack cocaine given second chance

The undercover sting that led to the conviction of Esam Harash, 28, was carried out between February and March last year, during which time two officers called a known drugs line, known as a ‘speedy line,’ on three separate occasions asking to buy drugs.

Sheffield Crown Court was told that the first call was made on February 8, 2021 by an undercover officer was directed to the window of a property on Preston Street, Lowfield to pick up the crack cocaine she had requested.

Prosecuting barrister, Fiona Clancy, said Harash came to meet the police officer when she arrived and ‘indicated for her to follow him’ and was taken to a property on the street.

"She explained she wanted to buy one wrap of crack cocaine and the defendant asked whether she wanted to buy dark and light, referring to heroin,” Ms Clancy said.

The undercover police officer said she just had £10 and was sold one, 10mg wrap of crack cocaine, from the defendant who unfurled the wrap from a wad of similar sized packets the ‘size of a golf ball’.

Ms Clancy said same undercover officer called the ‘speedy line’ again three days later, and ‘the defendant answered,’ directing her to the same address, and she bought two wraps of crack cocaine there.

A second undercover officer bought three wraps of heroin from the defendant at the same address on March 23, 2021.

He was told by a drug dealer waiting there that the defendant’s name was ‘Antonio’ and he was the ‘main man’.

Harash, of Clinton Walk, Broomhall, pleaded guilty to three counts of supplying a controlled drug of Class A, namely heroin and crack cocaine, to another.

Defending, Eunice Aupaire-Addo, said Harash was an entrenched drug addict who had been taking drugs since the age of 21.

She said he had helped with the speedy line under duress, after building up a drug debt and being subjected to violence and threats.

After hearing that Harash had complied well with a three-month drug rehabilitation order prior to sentence, Judge Roger Thomas QC, said he was minded to give Harash a chance to turn things around.

He sentenced him to 18 months in prison, suspended for 12 months, and ordered him to complete another drug rehabilitation order, as well as a 20-day rehabilitation activity requirement.