Portsmouth drug dealer caught with nearly £21,000 of cocaine spared jail after judge gives him ‘chance of a lifetime’

Tearful Conner Bevan was given a reprieve from prison after judge Richard Shepherd went ‘out on a limb’ for the father who found himself in a ‘downward spiral’. Portsmouth Crown Court heard how the 26-year-old was spotted by police riding a bike on Fratton Road during the evening of January 13 last year.

As ‘suspicious’ officers attempted to pull Bevan over he sprinted away and onto Penhale Way before throwing a rucksack he was carrying. He later ‘gave up the chase’ and was arrested, the court heard. The bag was found in Guildford Road.

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Police found a ‘large amount of white power’ in the bag which turned out to be cocaine along with £1,245 of cash as well as some cannabis. Bevan told police: ‘I had no money over Christmas. I was told to do it.’

Further searches of the defendant’s address in Wallace Road led to the discovery of electronic scales, cocaine and cannabis, and names and numbers of people buying drugs.

In total, 170g of cocaine was seized with a street value of £20,720. Bevan said his gang overlords had made dealing ‘worth his while’.

Howard Barrington-Clark, defending, said: ‘(Bevan) was on a downward spiral he couldn’t get out of. He didn’t know what to do and who to turn to.’

Bevan admitted three charges of possessing a Class A drug with intent to supply, possessing criminal property, and possessing a Class B drug.

Judge Shepherd said cannabis smoker Bevan, who had no relevant previous convictions, was ‘ripe for exploitation’ by criminal gangs after revealing: ‘Mr Bevan has had one of the most difficult childhoods I have ever read about.’

As the judge was preparing to pass sentence he engaged in a conversation with the ‘very upset’ defendant before telling him: ‘You know it has to be a prison sentence don’t you?’

The judge went on to say: ‘You are truly remorseful and in the third question of the police interview you told them everything because you wanted out of this downward spiral.’

Judge Shepherd, in a dramatic turn of events, then concluded he could suspend the sentence due to Bevan having ‘good prospects of rehabilitation’, before stating: ‘Imposing a custodial sentence would have an unjust effect on you and your family.’

The judge, who also cited prison ‘overcrowding’, added: ‘This is your chance of a lifetime. I’m going out on a limb for you because I recognise you are trying to be a good bloke and a good dad and trying to put (drug dealing) behind you.’

Bevan was handed a two-year jail term suspended for two years and told to complete 25 rehabilitation days and complete 300 hours of unpaid work, as well as a six-month drug rehabilitation requirement involving him being tested for drugs and having a monthly review before judge Shepherd. ‘If you mess up I will send you to prison,’ the judge warned.

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