Notorious Portsmouth burglar turns his hand to drug dealing but lands himself in jail again

Jason Marshall, a 45-year-old with an ‘unenviable’ 30-year history of stealing and burglary resulting in 165 offences, ventured into uncharted territory after peddling crack cocaine and heroin.

But the infamous criminal ended up back in familiar surroundings after being jailed for his offending.

Marshall was back on the wrong side of the law after he was spotted by police on Goldsmith Avenue, Southsea, dealing to fellow addicts on October 15, 2019.

Prosecutor Richard Barton told Portsmouth Crown Court: ‘Officers saw drug users interacting with the defendant.

‘It became clear they were users and this was street dealing. Police apprehended the defendant who attempted to swallow packages of the drugs from the street deals.’

Marshall, of no fixed address, was found with £80 cash on him. No drugs were found at the address where he had been staying.

Mr Barton added: ‘This was a man who was dealing substantially on a street level. He was not playing a leading role in the operation – he was clearly a conduit.

‘There were others further up the chain than him but he was passing the drugs onto the street.

‘He has an unenviable record but has no previous for drug dealing.’

The court heard Marshall was jailed for four-and-a-half-years in June last year for a dwelling burglary at a property in Stanley Street, Southsea, where he stole jewellery and electrical items to fund his habit.

Marshall had not offended between 2011-15 following a drug rehabilitation program during a previous prison stint.

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But after returning to Portsmouth in 2019 to care for his sick father his life unravelled when he lost his job, split from his girlfriend and became homeless.

Marshall admitted two charges of possessing Class A drugs with intent to supply.

Judge Timothy Mousley QC said: ‘You were seen by police dealing on Goldsmith Avenue when they tried to detain you.

‘You tried to swallow the drugs but police prevented you.’

He added: ‘You have a history of stealing and burglary - you have been doing it for 30 years. But this was the first time you have been convicted for street dealing.’

The judge then jailed Marshall for two-and-a-half-years. He will continue to serve his burglary sentence from last June after his term inside for the drug dealing offences have finished, though.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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