Man Dealt Drugs After Prison

8 January 2011, 08:15 | Updated: 8 January 2011, 08:18

When Barrington Clarke went into prison he had been abusing cannabis, but when he came out he was addicted to hard drugs, a court was told on Friday.

Within three months of his release he was caught carrying deals of crack cocaine and heroin.

A car he was passenger in was stopped in Kempston on Oct 4 last year by police from the Number Plate Recognition team, said prosecutor Beverley Cripps.

Clarke tried to run off but was detained and drugs worth £1,170 were found in his hand, some made up into deals.

His mobile phone also showed messages that incriminated him in dealing drugs, said the prosecution.

Clarke, 25 of Oak Road, Bedford, pleaded guilty at Luton Crown Court to possessing Class A drugs with intent to supply and was jailed for four years.

When arrested he claimed the drugs were for himself after developing a habit while in prison.

Derek Johashen, defending said: "He developed an addiction to Class A drugs while in prison, when he was finding it very difficult to cope. He is now drug free and is going to use this prison sentence to better himself and pursue an accountancy course."

The court heard that in June 2009 Clarke was jailed for 26 months for supplying crack cocaine and was released on licence in July last year.

Judge Michael Baker QC told him: "You were released only in July just three months before this incident."