Jail for cocaine dealer caught after town chase

Thursday 10 September 2020

A man found with cocaine and cannabis after being chased through town by the police has been thrown behind bars for four years and nine months.

Stephen Andrew Bates (39) was caught in York Lane on 16 February after failing to climb a wall, having run from the Parade.

Three wraps of a white powder and pieces of brown resin were found in a nearby street planter, where he had thrown them during the chase.

When an officer searched Bates himself, more drugs, a set of digital scales and £325 in cash were also found.

Moments before, at around 23:15, police on a routine patrol had stopped their van alongside Bates, who was standing in the street with two other men, because they felt they were acting suspiciously. When an officer opened his door to get out, Bates ran off towards Union Street, prompting the short chase.

The following day, police visited his Midvale Road flat, where they found more drugs and related equipment, including a set of digital scales and kitchen knife with brown resinous material on the blade.

Pictured: Stephen Bates moved to Jersey in February 2019 to "start a new life".

In total, including the drugs found on Bates and in the planter, police found 15g of cocaine and 179g of cannabis - both considered "commercial quantities", with a combined street value of up to £5,240.

Having earlier pleaded guilty to four charges of possessing controlled drugs with intent to supply, Bates appeared before the Royal Court this afternoon for sentencing.

Outlining the prosecution’s case, Crown Advocate Matthew Maletriot said that the basis of Bates’ plea was that he had intended to share the two wraps found on him with his girlfriend, and that he intended to supply ten of the 14 wraps seized from his flat to another friend in exchange for money.

He claimed to have been given the cocaine in that form rather than preparing the wraps himself. The cannabis was to be sold to fund his own habit.

Advocate Maletroit added that Bates had a “problematic history of drug use” which had led to two spells in prison in the UK and, last year, he had been given a six-month probation order, suspended for 22 months, for driving under the influence of drugs.

He added that the Jersey offence was in breach of that order but there was no reciprocal agreement with the UK which would allow the Royal Court to take that breach into account. 

Pictured: Bates ran from the Parade, down Union Street, into Old Street and then York Lane, where he was caught. (Google Maps)

Defending, Advocate Rebecca Morley-Kirk said that Bates had had an “extremely traumatic” childhood.

“He learnt an early lesson that he could not trust an adult. As a consequence, he turned to drugs aged 11, which started with cannabis and progressed to cocaine.

“Shortly before moving to the Island in February 2019, his brother contributed to the failure of his business by taking money. His life fell apart and he came to Jersey for a fresh start to wean himself off cocaine.”

“But a relationship broke down this January and he purchased cocaine because he wanted a blow-out. He fell back into old habits.”

She added that when Bates was drug-free, he was successful, as evidenced by his business in the UK and the qualifications he has gained when in prison.

In passing sentence, Deputy Bailiff Robert MacRae, who was sitting with Jurats Blampied, Crill and Dulake, said the Court noted that Bates wanted to rebuild his life and be successful but a custodial sentence was inevitable.

“Anyone who deals Class A drugs knows that any sentence is likely to involve prison. You must have known what you were doing,” he said.