Drug dealer jailed after trip to Brighton

A drug dealer who dealt heroin and crack cocaine in Brighton has been jailed for six years.

Leon Reid, 27, of Priory Close, Hayes, Middlesex, was found guilty after a three-day trial at Brighton Crown Court of having the drugs with intent to supply.

Reid was arrested on Wednesday 10 July after Sussex Police stopped a car which had been seen bring used for a drug deal in Buckingham Road, Brighton.

Police found £3,000 cash, heroin and crack cocaine worth £600 and mobile phones containing texts about drug deals.

Reid told the court that he had had an argument with his girlfriend in London and that he had stolen her car and driven it to Brighton.

Leon Reid

On arriving he claimed that he had then met a dealer who supplied him with the drugs.

He claimed that the same dealer must have accidentally left two phones containing drug dealing texts in the car.

Reid had originally said that the crack cocaine and heroin were for his personal use even though there was no evidence that he was a user of class A drugs.

The jury took less than an hour to find Reid guilty.

Judge Michael Carroll said as he sentenced Reid that that the evidence against him had been overwhelming.

The investigation was carried out by the Operation Reduction team in Brighton.

Detective Constable Mark Pinder, who led the investigation, said: “This is a great result against a drug dealer who had simply lied his way through the whole investigation.

“The investigation team worked hard to ensure that the evidence was clear.

“The court result serves as a reminder to drug dealers who come to Brighton that they will be found, arrested and sent to prison.

“He is one more drug dealer off our streets.”