Crimewatch drug dealer jailed
Telford drug dealer Daniel Glendinning, who had been on the run and gave himself up after appearing on the BBC Crimewatch programme, has been jailed for a total of three years. The 25-year-old was described as an addict who acted as low-level dealer in heroin and crack cocaine to feed his habit.
Threats to his life had made him go on the run, Shrewsbury Crown Court was told on Friday.
Glendinning was said to have gone on the run because of claims that he would be "chopped up" over a £4,000 drug debt.
Judge Robin Onions also requested an explanation for why police in Newcastle-on-Tyne appeared to have failed to execute the warrant issued for Glendinning's arrest in January last year.
The court heard that Glendinning had been living for the past 20 months at the Tyneside bail address agreed by the court.
Judge Onions suggested the efforts of the police could be described as "manifestly inefficient" if the defendant had not been using a false name or moving around, but sitting there waiting to be arrested.
The court heard yesterday that Glendinning had seen the photograph of himself issued by Telford police when it featured on Crimewatch this week and went to Clifford Street police station in Newcastle late on Thursday night.
Glendinning, formerly of Beaconsfield, Brookside, admitted possessing crack cocaine and heroin with intent to supply and possession of heroin on May 14, 2004.
He also admitted failing to surrender to his bail at the crown court on January 4 last year.
He was jailed for two-and-a-half years for the drugs offences and given an additional six months for the bail offence. Mr Max Bennett, prosecuting, said police raided a house in Warrensway, Woodside, in May two years ago and two men - Glendinning and Martin Spencer - escaped through a back door and over a fence, but were later arrested.
Police recovered a quantity of crack cocaine with a street value of £2,000, heroin worth £1,000, 65 wraps of cocaine, scales, knives and plastic gloves.
Mr Roy Paterson, defending, said Glendinning did have a heroin addiction and had been selling drugs to pay off his drug debts. He was now drug-free.
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