Cocaine dealer reformed as window cleaner jailed after caught going back to drugs trade on M54
Officers found a block of cocaine worth £26,000 at his home
A cocaine dealer who got his life back on track by becoming a window cleaner has been jailed after falling back into the drug trade.
Aaron Williams, of Lauder Close, Dudley, was sentenced at Stafford Crown Court after pleading guilty to four offences.
The 33-year-old admitted possession of a class A drug with intent to supply, possession of criminal property, and two counts of possession of a weapon.
Robert Edwards, prosecuting, told how police had stopped Williams’ Volkswagen Golf when it was seen speeding on the M54 at Telford on April 26 this year.
After officers pulled the car over they noted that Williams had served a previous sentence for drug dealing, and carried out a search.
Mr Edwards said they found £205 in cash on Williams along with a tin containing six bags of cocaine.
Officers also seized two mobile phones - although the court heard Williams refused to provide the PIN codes for them.
Mr Edwards said police then carried out a search of Williams’s property at Lauder Close in Dudley.
The raid uncovered £10,300 in cash, weighing scales, snap bags with white powder residue, and 267g of cocaine in a pressed block.
Mr Edwards said they also found a knuckle duster and a lock knife.
The court heard that the cocaine had a street value of around £26,000.
‘The issue arose when his van broke down’
Mr Edwards said Williams had 13 previous convictions, including a three-year prison term handed down in May 2023 for possession of cocaine with intent to supply.
Glenn Cook, mitigating on Williams’s behalf, said he had been doing well after his release from his previous sentence for drug dealing and was operating a window cleaning business, before his van broke and he could not afford to fix it.
He said: “The defendant was committed and motivated to try and turn his life around when he last came out of prison for a similar offence.
“He resurrected his window cleaning business and was doing well, the issue arose when his van broke down and at the time he didn’t have the funds to replace the van and what he did was he went back to what he did before.”
He added: “I have asked him why he did not use the £10,000 to repair the van and he could not answer me.”
Mr Cook said the sentence would impact on Williams’ family, adding: “He is angry and frustrated at putting himself in this position.”
Judge Recorder Robert Smith said Williams had been operating to make money.
He said: “It was apparent from the set up in your address that you were the person breaking down those drugs and forwarding them for supply. This was your own operation and you were operating for a profit.”
The judge added that despite the mitigating factors Williams had known the risk he was taking getting back into dealing.
He said: “Frankly all of that is very limited mitigation for your second class A drug conviction.
“The result is you knew full well you were taking a chance with your liberty.”
He added: “You took it anyway and you lost.”
Addressing Williams directly Recorder Smith said: “Drugs like the ones you were involved in supplying, particularly cocaine, have a devastating effect on users who become addicted to these vile substances.”
He added: “You were doing this for the money. You were on licence for dealing cocaine, you knew full well you would go back to prison if caught.”
Williams was sentenced to four and a half years in prison.