Police stopped a car on the A500 after smelling cannabis, finding drugs, cash, and linking the men to dealing. Suspended sentences issued.
Police stopped their car on the A500 road. They found £9,170 on Sahota after a search, and cannabis worth £1,580 sat in the backseat. Their phones linked them to selling cannabis.
The court gave each man an eight-month suspended sentence. They will not go to jail right now, as this sentence lasts for two years. The incident happened January 22, 2021.
Police saw their Audi at a Texaco gas station. They smelled a strong odor of cannabis, and the car drove in a way that worried them. So they stopped it.
Cops found cash in Sahota’s pocket during the roadside search. He said he needed the money to buy stock. Officers saw many electrical items in the back, and they found cannabis in a black bag. Gooding said the drugs were not his.
The cannabis weighed 158.39 grams, said police. The cannabis value would range from £960 to £1,580, depending on how they sold it.
Gooding and Sahota admitted their guilt in court. They admitted possessing drugs with intent to supply them, and involvement in selling drugs. Sahota confessed to possessing criminal property.
Before Covid, Gooding had a trusted job, but he has anxiety and depression. Sahota is self-employed, his lawyer stated, and he does not use drugs or alcohol now.
Gooding must do 40 days of rehab and 200 hours of unpaid work. He also has a three-month curfew. Sahota must complete 250 hours of unpaid work and has the same curfew.
A judge noted the offenses happened some time ago, after the Covid lockdown period. Police found much cannabis, which they valued at £1,580. Phones showed a high level of street dealing, suggesting both men must have known the scale of the dealing.
The court will consider the delay in the case, and difficult economic times were a factor. Both men must return to court on March 24, where a hearing about the crime’s proceeds will occur.