Leeds scaffolder turned to selling heroin and crack after pandemic cashflow problems

Jordan Holmes was a passenger in a car pulled over by police around lunchtime on February 20 this year, and immediately aroused suspicion by his panicked demeanour, Leeds Crown Court heard.

The 28-year-old was detained for searching, and two mobile phones were found on him. Under the passenger seat, officers found 74 wraps of crack cocaine deals and 43 heroin deals. The phones were analysed and were also found to contain messages directly related to dealing.

Holmes, of St Wilfrid’s Garth, Harehills, gave a no-comment interview to police. He later pleaded guilty to two counts of dealing in Class A drugs and was jailed this week to 44 months.

Prosecutor Jade Edwards said Holmes has four previous convictions for five offences. This included dealing in cannabis and possession of cocaine, for which he received an 18-month community order with 180 hours of unpaid work in March of last year. He twice breached that order having completed just a few hours of the work.

Mitigating in court this week, Erin Kitson-Parker said of Holmes’ previous convictions: “He understands he was given an opportunity and it has left little choice but to sentence him into custody.”

She said he had been a drug user and sold them to feed his habit. He has been remanded in custody since his arrest and appeared on court this week via video link from HMP Leeds. Miss Kitson-Parker said he was hoping to make contact with his six-year-old child once he is released, having not seen her for three years.

She added: “It’s time for him to turn his life around. It’s not too late to do that at 28. He wants to serve his sentence and start afresh.”

The judge, Recorder Alex Menary said: “You worked as a scaffolder and it’s a mystery to me that you have ended up taking this path because you were earning good wages.

"You have had many repeated shots across your bow and you have not taken these opportunities. Custody is inevitable and your guilty pleas are your best mitigation.”