Drug dealer caught in Portsmouth with £2,000 of heroin and crack 'frustrated with criminal justice system'

Dealer Zak Abdul was caught with four ‘constantly ringing mobile phones, wearing two pairs of tracksuit bottoms and with a bag of class A drugs in Middle Street, Somers Town.

Hidden in his trousers were 127 wraps of crack cocaine and 70 wraps of heroin - worth more than £2,000 on the street, prosecutor Martyn Booth said.

Portsmouth Crown Court heard he has a record of a ‘great deal of violence’ including a violent disorder conviction in 2012 and robbery for which he was jailed for seven years. He was released in 2015 but recalled over an allegation that was not prosecuted, but served his full seven-year term.

The court heard Abdul, 34, of London Road, Croydon, had ‘become a drug addict,’ including to class A drugs and was released in January this year. By August 21 he was selling drugs in Portsmouth.

‘He has had a very difficult time in custody over seven years, moved 30 times,’ his solicitor Bridget O’Hagan said.

But a probation officer added: ‘He threatened to urinate over prison officers. He’s a high-risk offender.’

A worker who supported Abdul in a report submitted to the court noted the father-to-be has a ‘longstanding frustration with the criminal justice system,’ Recorder Simon Foster said.

Judge Foster jailed him for two years, ‘driving it down from a straight three years to recognise the powerful mitigation that’s been supplied,’ he said.

Ms O’Hagan said Abdul had got involved in dealing to repay his £2,000 drug debt. But she said dealers had ‘threatened his partner’ who is pregnant.

Ms O’Hagan added: ‘He was this accident waiting to happen,’ and added: ‘He’s done everything he can.’

Abdul admitted two charges of possessing class A drugs with intent to supply.