Machete robbery at Wakefield home uncovers cocaine worth tens of thousands
An armed robbery at a home in which a man was attacked with a machete led officers to a huge stash of cocaine.
Kori Burton was hospitalised in the attack, but while investigations were being carried out at his property in Knottingley, officers came across containers filled with a total of 313 grammes of cocaine.
Leeds Crown Court heard that Burton had been attacked with the weapon on Grasmere Road at around 9pm on January 26, 2023.
But the powder was not forensically tested until the November, 10 months later, and Burton was arrested in the December.
Prosecutor Fen Greatley-Hirsch said officers had also found more than £1,000 cash at the property, along with scales and an air pistol painted to “resemble a real firearm”.
Burton, of Grasmere Road, Knottingley, has five previous convictions for eight offences. He admitted two counts of possession with intent to supply Class A drugs.
Mitigating, Chris Morton said 30-year-old Burton had been handed the drugs to simply look after by a friend and his fingerprints found on the containers were due to him taking a look through “curiosity”.
He said the drugs were in his possession for less than three hours and immediately contacted the friend when he realised what it was.
He said Burton had suffered life-threatening injuries during the armed robbery in which jewellery was targeted. He spent several days in hospital.
Judge Anesh Pema spared Burton immediate custody, opting to jail him for 21 months, suspended for 24 months.
He was also given 250 hours of unpaid work and 30 rehabilitation days.