Drug dealer with knife pinned down by cops outside Shrewsbury nightclub
Court told of offender’s “worrying” history of knife crime during sentence.
A drug dealer who had a knife and was pinned down by police outside a nightclub on a busy Saturday night.
Officers had to call for backup when they challenged Martell Brown in an alleyway next to Labyrinth in Hills Lane, Shrewsbury because he was “too strong”.
Shrewsbury Crown Court was told that Brown and another man were stopped at around 2am on May 9 this year.
Brown, aged 26, tried to run and officers could see he had something in his right hand.
More officers arrived on the scene to help apprehend Brown.
“They pinned him to the floor,” said Alexa Carrier, prosecuting.
They found four wraps of white power on him, which was found to be cocaine, and a 27cm knife with a 15cm blade.
Less than two months later on June 28, Brown was stopped by police again and searched.
He was found to be in possession of wraps of cocaine with a street value of £280.
Police arrested Brown and seized two iPhones. Text messages indicative of drug dealing were found on one of them.
When he was interviewed by officers, Brown answered “no comment” to questions.
Brown, of First Terrace, Sundorne, Shrewsbury, pleaded guilty to possession of a knife in a public place, being concerned in the supply of a drug of class A, possession of a class A drug with intent to supply and possession of cocaine.
He has three previous convictions for five offences, including two for possession of a blade.
Debra White, mitigating, said Brown claimed the knife had been passed to him by someone else.
She added that the time he has served in prison on remand works out roughly to a seven-and-a-half month jail sentence, and that he has suffered from mental health issues.
“If he is released he can live with his mother,” Ms White said, asking the court to consider imposing a suspended jail term.
However, Recorder Julian Taylor said: “This must be an immediate custodial sentence.”
Referring to the second time Brown was apprehended by police, Recorder Taylor told Brown: “It seems you were not deterred by the fact the police had already stopped you not long before for the other offence.
“You have previous convictions for knife offences, which is worrying. Knives and drugs do not mix.”
He jailed Brown for three years and eight months. It is expected Brown will serve around 40 per cent of the term behind bars before being released on licence.
Recorder Taylor also ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the knife, drugs, paraphernalia and the phones.