Drug addict jailed for selling heroin to feed his habit

Edward Morgan, who Belfast Crown Court heard supplied the class A drug to “his own social circle”, will spend six months of the sentence in prison, followed by 18 months on licence when he is released.

Judge Paul Ramsey also ordered that £750 of the £1,225 found during a search should be returned to Morgan, with the remaining cash donated to the Simon Community.

The 43-year-old, who at the time of offending was living in a hostel in Belfast, was arrested on September 12 last year.

Prosecutor Mark Farrell said Morgan was seen by police taking part in a suspected drugs deal at James Street South in the city centre. He was stopped and searched, and five wraps of heroin were found. Morgan then told police he had an additional 28 wraps hidden in a hand cream container in his trousers.

Four diazepam tablets were also located on his person, while an additional two strips of the tablets, along with a further quantity of heroin, were found during a search of his room in the hostel, along with £1,225.

Mr Farrell said Morgan was “frank” with police during interview. He also revealed that the heroin seized amounted to just over six grams in total, which the PSNI valued at around £920.

Defence barrister Taylor Campbell said Morgan was a heroin addict who sold to friends to feed his own habit.

Regarding the cash found in Morgan’s room, the barrister said this was “float money” and not the profits from dealing drugs.

Mr Taylor added Morgan was a man with both mental and physical health issues, and told the court his client “has abused his body quite a bit”.

Sentencing Morgan, Judge Ramsey said he accepted Morgan was a “vulnerable individual ... with a chronic addiction to drugs”.