Brick-laying cocaine dealer ‘saved’ by his two-year-old son after Leeds bust

The judge at Leeds Crown Court told dad Benjamin Bramwell that he was willing to take an “exceptional course of action” after he was caught with bags of cocaine.

Police had pulled over Bramwell to check his Kia Picanto on Dewsbury Road, Leeds, on December 3 last year, after records appeared to show it had an expired MOT.

Suspecting him to be intoxicated on drink or drugs they searched him and found 46 small bags of cocaine and £200 in cash. The 29-year-old made a full confession during his police interview and pleaded guilty to a charge of possessing cocaine with an intent to supply.

Prosecutor Emma Hughes said that Bramwell, of Chapel Street, East Ardsley was a “ring and bring” dealer, who would drop the drugs off to users. He had built up a £600 debt through his own cocaine and cannabis use and was not receiving payment for selling the drugs, it would simply reduce what he owed.

He also said it was his first day of dealing, which was accepted by the Crown. He has a previous conviction for drug-driving in 2016.

Mitigating, Matthew Stewart said Bramwell has a two-year-old son and was now cutting down on his drug and alcohol intake. He said his previous employer died and he lost his job and “fell into debt trying to maintain his drug habit”.

But Judge Christopher Batty said his son had been the reason he was not being taken into custody.

He told him: “Supplying Class A drugs is really serious and a custodial sentence usually follows. But I’m impressed with what you have done and with the help of your family, who are here today. Watching you disintegrate through alcohol and drugs must have been incredibly difficult for them.

"But you have someone who is really, really important in your life, and that young man has saved you today. This is an exceptional course of action, do not throw it back in anyone’s face.”

He handed him a two-year jail sentence, suspended for two years, a six-month curfew order to keep him at home at night, and a six-month alcohol treatment requirement.