Dad-to-be Leeds dealer says he is 'done with crime' after police catch him selling
A dad-to-be said he is “done with criminal life” after he was caught dealing drugs by watching police in south Leeds.
James Wingate was spotted conducting a street deal by patrolling officers in the Belle Isle area, before driving away. Dozens of wraps of crack cocaine and cocaine were later found in the car and recovered at his home on Winrose Hill.
The 24-year-old was jailed for three years at Leeds Crown Court this week.
Officers had noticed a female approach a white Ford Ecosport parked in a layby in the West Grange Road area shortly after 4pm on June 21 last year. She exchanged something before walking away, with the car also pulling away.
The police followed the Ecosport, eventually pulling it over on Royal Park Road. Wingate was the driver and another male was in the passenger seat. Mobile phones were recovered along with bags of drugs, prosecutor Samuel Sharp said.
Officers later searched Wingate’s home and found more than 50 wraps of drugs and cash. A seized mobile phone contained more than 1,400 contacts and drug-related messages. The total value of drugs found between the two arrested came to £2,590.
Wingate later admitted two counts of dealing in Class A drugs, and failing to provide a specimen for for drugs test following his arrest. His co-defendant, a 16-year-old boy, is to be sentenced at a later date.
Mitigating, Michael Jowett said that Wingate had suffered from depression and anxiety for most of his life, but did “not seek to blame” his issues on his offending. He said that Wingate had a baby on the way and was hoping to get his Class 1 HGV licence on his release.
Mr Jowett added: “He says he is done with this criminal life. He can use it [prison] as a launch pad for the rest of his life.”