Stolen car leads to drugs stash find in Long Sutton

 

Officers targeted the workshop on Bridge Road, Long Sutton, in August 2017 after a stolen Audi A5 car was seen parked outside.

 

Amy Earnshaw, prosecuting, said that the vehicle, which was stolen five months earlier from  Essex, had been cloned and fitted with false number plates.

 

Nathan Lake, who ran the workshop, denied he knew the vehicle was stolen and told police “If I knew the car was stolen I wouldn’t park it outside, would I.”

 

Miss Earnshaw said that officers then searched the premises and discovered seven cannabis plants together with 22 gs of cocaine and £390 cash.

 

The Audi was also searched and two bags containing a total of 194 gs of cannabis was found.

 

A mobile phone belonging to Lake’s brother Joshua was seized and messages were found on it which showed he was involved in drug dealing.

 

Joshua Lake, 25, of Daniels Crescent, Long Sutton, admitted charges of possession of cocaine with intent to supply; possession of cannabis with intent to supply; and conversion of criminal property relating to the £390. He was jailed for 30 months.

 

Nathan Lake, 28, also of Daniels Crescent, Long Sutton, admitted unlawful production of cannabis and a further charge of acquiring criminal property in relation to  the stolen Audi car. He was given an 18 month community order with a rehabilitation activity requirement of up to 20 days.

 

John Morgans, for Nathan Lake, said since his arrest his client had served a prison sentence for other matters and urged that he should not receive another jail sentence.

 

Lisa Hardy, for Joshua Lake, said that since his arrest he has turned his life around and is now clean of drugs.

 

She said he has  mental health issues and has been diagnosed with a heart condition which is related to his past drug use.

 

Miss Hardy said “He clearly has ongoing issues of a significant nature. I ask you to take an exceptional course and impose a sentence that can be suspended.”