A Midland drug dealer who begged police to return what he claimed were National Lottery winnings has been sentenced to prison after officers uncovered his cocaine operation.
The raid that uncovered everything
Sam Cox, aged 27, found himself facing justice at Leicester Crown Court after Leicestershire Police raided his grandmother's property in Ashby. The operation revealed a sophisticated drug dealing business that had been operating for two years.
During the search, officers discovered approximately 6g of cocaine with a street value exceeding £500, about 1g of cannabis, and clear evidence of drug dealing activities. The cocaine had been prepared into 0.4g deals ready for sale.
Police also uncovered £4,599 in cash plus 100 euros at the property, along with small resealable bags, scales, and a mobile phone containing details of drug deals to 27 different people.
The desperate lottery claim
Following his arrest, Cox made a surprising attempt to retrieve the seized cash by claiming that £3,000 of the money came from National Lottery winnings gifted to him by a relative.
In a statement to police that would later unravel, Cox confessed: "drug dealing is bad, I just want to be honest, yeah, I did it" after being arrested at his grandmother's address on Prestop Drive in Ashby.
However, when the relative provided a letter to support Cox's story, they revealed they had only given him £1,000, not the £3,000 he had claimed. This discrepancy undermined his attempt to recover the full amount.
Sentencing and seizure
Judge William Harbage KC sentenced Cox to 31 months in prison on Friday, November 21, and ordered that all of the seized currency - both pounds and euros - be confiscated.
The court heard how Cox's defence lawyer, Eddy Leonard, portrayed him as "quite a vulnerable individual" struggling with mental health issues. She argued that a cannabis addiction had left him in debt, forcing him into dealing cocaine to settle what he owed.
Ms Leonard told the court: "His family have ensured that drug debt is gone and it will not be following his grandmother." She added that Cox was "keen to sort his mental health out, get back to work and provide for his children."
Cox pleaded guilty to multiple offences including possessing cannabis, possession with intent to supply cocaine, and possessing a knuckle-duster that was also found during the police raid.
Despite the defence's plea for leniency, Judge Harbage determined that the offences warranted immediate custody, bringing an end to Cox's drug dealing activities in the Ashby area.
