Sheffield drug-offender with heroin and crack-cocaine in Pitsmoor given "golden chance" to stay out of jail

Sheffield Crown Court heard on April 13 how Matthew Turton, aged 42, of Barrie Road, in Southey Green, Sheffield, was found in a Toyota Corolla car by police on Abbeyfield Road, in Pitsmoor, Sheffield, with packages of crack-cocaine and heroin.

Neil Coxon, prosecuting, said Turton appeared to have a “burner phone” and he directed police to 20 packages of crack-cocaine valued at £320 and to 16 packages of heroin valued at £160 in the car.

Mr Coxon added: “Police spoke with the defendant and he volunteered to them he had not been doing this for long and he did not really know what he was doing.”

Turton told police he had been involved in the offending with someone else to earn money after he had lost his job and he revealed he would receive a call to collect the drugs from bushes.

The defendant, who has two previous convictions, pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing class A drugs with intent to supply after the incident on July 22, 2020.

Clarkson Baptiste, defending, said: “This man before your honour does not fit the usual profile coming before these courts for this type of offence.”

Mr Baptiste added that Turton was at a desperate stage in his life and he became addicted to illicit substances and then he was exploited.

Judge David Dixon told Turton: “The reality is that people that get sucked into using class A drugs find themselves at a very low ebb and have to fight it somehow and it’s horrific what it can do to people.”

He added that Turton’s daughter revealed her dad has turned his life around and that he has moved on since the offending and he is sorting out his problems.

Judge Dixon further told Turton: “I am particularly impressed by what your daughter said about you and how you were doing at the time and crucially how you are doing now.

"I am more then content to accept that you were naive, stupid and allowed yourself to become preyed upon by those more sophisticated in the drugs world.”

Judge Dixon sentenced Turton to 22 months of custody suspended for two years with a Rehabilitation Activity Requirement and 100 hours of unpaid work.

He also ordered the confiscation of £380.14 which police found in his jeans when they searched him.

Judge Dixon said: “Over the past year or more, according to your daughter, who talks about things in a very positive and moving way, you have managed to turn your life around.

"As she put it, she had lost her dad and she has now found him again, and she indicates you have moved on and you are sorting things out.”

He added: “You are getting a golden chance to continue the good work you are doing so far but if you throw it away you will not only let yourself down but you will have to deal with the consequence of what happens to your daughters.”