- Tuesday,
25 October 2011
-
Hartlepool, UK
-
Bouncer hid drugs in sock
A Bouncer caught
with cocaine hidden in his socks that he planned to sell to
revellers has been jailed for four years.
Police found the
stash after they were given a tip-off relating to drug
dealing and searched doorman Paul Owens, 41, while he was on
duty at Changes bar in Hartlepool town centre.
As well as a
small amount of the Class A drug in his trouser pocket,
Owens also had four ready made deals hidden inside his socks
along with a wad of cash.
He tried to say
the drugs in his pocket were for himself and claimed he had
seized the wraps in his socks from customers in the toilets.
He said he was
going to hand them over to police, but he forgot.
Yet Owens was
found guilty of possessing Class A drugs with intent to
supply after a trial at Teesside Crown Court.
He was also
convicted of possessing criminal property over £295 cash
believed to be the proceeds of drug dealing.
Owens’ licence
to work as a doorman has now been suspended and officials
are looking into revoking it completely.
David Crook,
prosecuting, said: “He was a nightclub doorman who was
searched on the premises and found to have some cocaine in
his pocket and four wraps of cocaine in his socks, as well
as an amount of cash.
“His house was
searched and similar empty plastic bags were found.
“A mobile phone
was checked and there were obvious drug dealing text
messages.
“Police had
received information about drug dealing activity and
subsequently went there and searched him.”
Owens, of
Uppingham Street, Hartlepool, was arrested following his
search at the bar in York Road, Hartlepool, on July 18 last
year.
He had no
previous convictions.
Superintendent
Glenn Gudgeon, of Hartlepool Police, said: “People in the
night time economy are especially vulnerable to persons who
want to ply an illegal trade, and that is why it is such a
serious matter.
“The supply of
controlled drugs is dangerous in any environment, but when
added to the vulnerability of people under the influence of
alcohol it causes great concern.
“The vast
majority of the door staff in Hartlepool work hard to create
a safe environment in which their customers can enjoy
themselves.
“In fact, it is
quite often those working on the doors who notify us of
people trying to supply controlled drugs.”
An spokesman for
the Security Industry Authority, the national regulation
body, said: “By law, all door supervisors must hold and
display a valid SIA licence so that only trained and checked
individuals are working in this role.
“Where a licence
holder commits an offence, we can suspend their licence
while an outcome is pending and will revoke their licence if
they no longer meet our criminality criteria.”
Changes declined
to comment on the case.
