Portsmouth student known as '˜weed man' sent to prison

A PROMISING university student has been jailed after being caught dealing drugs.
Steve Najipe, 22,  jailed for three years and six monthsSteve Najipe, 22,  jailed for three years and six months
Steve Najipe, 22, jailed for three years and six months

Steve Najipe, who said he was known as the ‘weed man’, has been jailed for three years and six months.

He admitted possession of cannabis with intent to supply, but denied two counts of making an offer to supply ecstasy and cocaine.

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But he was found guilty at a trial at Portsmouth Crown Court and later jailed.

The judge – Recorder John Williams – said Najipe had no-one to blame but himself.

The court heard police found 11 wraps of cannabis with a street value of £70, and £330 worth of skunk cannabis weighing 18.5g.

Sentencing, Recorder Williams said: ‘You’re fully aware you’re going to prison.

‘It won’t be easy, I have no doubt about that.

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‘It’s no pleasure sending someone to prison, but you’ve no-one to blame for it but yourself.’

Messages on his phone showed he was regularly supplying cannabis, the court heard.

The judge added: ‘You were known as ‘‘the weed man’’.’

He added: ‘It would appear from about September 9 you were in the basis of offering to supply ecstasy.’

Najipe, 22, of Telephone Road, Southsea, also offered to supply cocaine that had been asked for by another person.

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In one message he described it as ‘top quality but a little bit pricey’.

The judge sentenced him to three years and six months for both offering class A offences and 12 months for the cannabis offence.

All of the sentences will run concurrently.

James Caldwell, defending the University of Portsmouth student, said: ‘The problem of smoking cannabis from a young age is it developed into an addiction to the drug.’

He added: ‘He’s a young man with a promising university career that clearly lies in tatters.

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‘That might explain why he was unable to accept earlier than he did what the jury did.’

Mr Caldwell said it has had a ‘devastating’ effect on his family and added: ‘He was, in my mind, a young man caught in the headlights.’

Najipe must pay a £120 victim surcharge and £70 costs.

The judge added: ‘It won’t be easy and you’re anxious you get it behind you.

‘Don’t let your family and all the rest of us down again.’