Drug dealer crashed car into house during fight with customer in Wakefield

A DRUG dealer crashed  his car into a house in Wakefield during a fight with a customer who wanted his cannabis on credit, a court heard.
Henry Street, Wakefield. Image: GoogleHenry Street, Wakefield. Image: Google
Henry Street, Wakefield. Image: Google

The Skoda Fabia hit the archway of a terraced house as cannabis dealer John Hayward and customer Thomas Silveria hit each other about the head when an argument over payment for drugs turned violent.

Prosecutor, Phillip Evans, said Silveria, 32, climbed into the passenger seat after Hayward, 31, had driven to Henry Street on June 9 last year to sell him around around seven grammes of cannabis .

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The court heard the two men argued and then started hitting each other after Silveria said he wanted the drugs on credit.

The court was told Silveria admitted that he had picked up a knife from the centre console in the car.

Mr Evans said that after car crashed "with an almighty bang" the violence continued outside where Hayward struck Silveria, who suffered a broken jaw and was unconscious on the street.

Mr Evans said: "Witnesses say they thought he had died."

The court heard Hayward, of Woodhouse Road, Wakefield, admitted being concerned in the supply of cannabis and the prosecution asked for a charge of affray against him to lie on file.

Silveria, of Cambridge Street, Wakefield, admitted affray.

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Mr Evans said Silveria has a string of previous convictions for violence, including grievous bodily harm in 2006, actual bodily harm in 2009, wounding with intent in 2009 and offences of battery in 2015 and 2017.

Michael Morley, for Hayward, said: "It clearly has been a very real lesson to him. He assures me this is not behaviour he is going to continue with."

Giles Bridge for Silveria said he has been receiving psychiatric support and has been producing negative drugs tests.

Judge Penelope Belcher handed Silveria a 48-week jail sentence, suspended for two years.

Judge Belcher ruled that the charge of affray against Hayward should lie on file and sentenced him to eight months in jail, suspended for two years plus 100 hours unpaid work.