Teenage Leeds dealer released after judge said he had spent 'long enough' behind bars
A teenager caught with deadly heroin and crack cocaine has been released from prison - after the judge said the four months spent on remand was “long enough”.
Bryn Perry was found with drugs on him, more at home, and a mobile phone containing messages related to dealing. However, he was just 17 at the time and was now 19.
Prosecuting at Leeds Crown Court, Eddison Flint said that Perry had been arrested by police on August 18, 2022 for an unrelated matter and was carrying 18 wraps of heroin and eight of crack cocaine. Another nine wraps of drugs were found at his home.
Perry, of Thorpe Road, Middleton, admitted two counts of possession with intent to supply Class A drugs and possession of heroin from another occasion. Appearing in court via video link from from HMP Doncaster, the court heard that he had been locked up since May 17 of this year.
Judge Christopher Batty asked why the case had taken so long to come to court, calling it “pretty ridiculous”, but no explanation was provided by the Crown. Judge Batty said he did not require any mitigation from Perry’s barrister, Martin Morrow, saying he would not keep him locked up any longer.
Instead, he gave him an 18-month sentence, suspended for two years, 75 hours of unpaid work and 25 rehabilitation days. He also ordered him to enrol in a domestic violence programme due to incidents involving a woman, although no further details were disclosed in open court.
He told Perry: “I’m going to let you out today - the drugs worry me far less than your conduct towards your partner. You have spent long enough in prison.”
The sentence means that should be breach the suspended jail term, the four months spent on remand will not count and he could serve some or all of the 18 months’ jail.