Newbury chef was dealing cocaine

Magistrates give 20-year-old "last chance to turn his life around"

A YOUNG chef boosted his wages by dealing in cocaine and cannabis.

He was caught when police found him sitting in a car with glazed eyes, slurred speech and white powder caked round his nose.

And on Friday, June 8, Adam Anthony Boys was given a suspended jail term when he appeared at Reading Crown Court for sentencing.

The 20-year-old, who lives at Somerton Grove, Thatcham, and who works as a chef in Newbury, was told he was being given a last chance to turn his life around.

Jonathan Sanks, prosecuting, said police arrested Boys after discovering him in the car with customers as passengers and found the Class A controlled drug cocaine, plus the Class C controlled drug ketamine, in his underwear.

In addition, the court heard, his mobile phone showed evidence of drug dealing.

At a previous hearing, Boys admitted possessing cocaine and the Class B controlled drug cannabis, with intent to supply them both, and possessing ketamine between May 21 and June 2 last year.

In addition, he has previous convictions for possessing cocaine and cannabis, the court heard.

Christopher Blake, defending, said Boys’ mother was in the public gallery to support her son – an “immature young man”.

He added: “He got involved in taking drugs and is, first and foremost, a user.

“He had a fear of some of the people he obtained drugs for.

“He is in regular work and he recognises he has a problem.”

Mr Blake pointed out that Boys was selling to fellow drug users and asked the court what would be achieved by sending his client to prison.

In sentencing Boys, Judge Maria Lamb told him: “Make no mistake – the starting point for what you’ve done is at least three years in custody.

“People think that just because they’re dealing to people they know that it isn’t serious.

“You should know how close you came to going to prison.

“Your mobile phone demonstrated you were concerned in the supply of drugs, with requests for drugs to be supplied ‘on tick’.

“However, they were relatively small amounts.

“This is not a ‘county lines’ case; you were largely dealing to people you knew. Nevertheless, you were supplying Class A drugs.”

Boys was sentenced to 20 months’ imprisonment, suspended for 18 months.

In addition, he was ordered to carry out 60 hours of unpaid community work and to complete up to 30 days of a rehabilitation activity requirement programme.

Finally, Boys was ordered to pay £400 costs, plus a statutory victim services surcharge.