'Professional' cannabis dealer from Shrewsbury jailed for five years

Police found large amounts of the drug packaged up and ready to be sold when they raided Luke Robert Wilde's home in Sutton Way, the town's crown court heard.

Officers also discovered an order book, nearly £14,000 in cash and a revolver at the property after bursting in with a warrant on August 7 last year.

Judge Peter Barrie said Wilde had initially "lied through his teeth" by claiming he only supplied drugs to a couple of friends once a month.

The 22-year-old also tried to convince police the cash found at his house had come from big gambling wins in Amsterdam, and pleaded with a neighbour to back up his story by offering him cash.

But the neighbour went to police instead.

Wilde eventually admitted a host of charges including possessing cannabis with intent to supply.

He also pleaded guilty to possessing small amounts of cocaine and ecstasy for his own use, possessing a prohibited firearm and perverting the course of justice.

Judge Barrie, sentencing Wilde, said: "When the police carried out the search of your home and the garage, they found evidence of your activities; drugs, already measured out into 'deals', and in significant quantities, huge amounts of cash, no doubt the proceeds of your drug dealing.

"It is clear from the evidence, what was found and from the entries in the notebook, that you were not just dealing once a month to four friends.

"Your dealing in drugs was on a far more substantial scale than that.

"It was carried out with a degree of professionalism and you went into it with your eyes open."

Mr Walter Bealby, for Wilde, said a "sheath" of references backed up the general view of his client as a "polite, well-mannered young man".

He said his downfall had been getting involved with drugs.

"He found himself in a position where he was asked to get rid of the cannabis and sell the cannabis, and that's what he did," Mr Bealby said.

"He has long had an interest in firearms and weapons. There is no suggestion this weapon was ever used, or would be used.

"Mr Wilde is an intelligent man and is extremely capable of making something of his life on his release. It has been a salutary experience and he will not be back before the courts again."