A drug dealer who funded his “lavish lifestyle” by selling tens of thousands of pounds' worth of drugs has said he turned his life around.
Bradley Maris was searched by police officers patrolling Maldon High Street where he used to live in February 2023.
Chelmsford Crown Court heard on Tuesday the officers found £151 in cash and three mobile phones on him, two of which were ‘burner phones’.
David Baird, prosecuting, said the officers inspected the phones and found messages relating to the sale of cocaine and cannabis.
Following his arrest and the search of his home, police found a bag with 18 wrappers containing 0.4g of cocaine, three Tesco freezer bags with cocaine worth between £900 to £1,600, as well as a tub of the drug valued between £700 to £1,000.
Mr Baird said: “The drugs were totalled between £3,940 to £8,310.
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“A drug expert considered the messages in more detail, and a lot of messages showed advertisement of drugs.
“It was not just texts but on the notes app of the phone was a list of names and values.”
The court heard the street deals brought in around £23,000 for cocaine alone.
Other messages asked him to take stock of remaining drugs which had not been sold.
Mr Baird said it had not been the first time the 36-year-old defendant had been before the court for drug related crimes.
Jodie Hitchcock, mitigating, told the court the defendant has turned away from drugs and found employment.
She said: “He turned his life around. He is not intending to offend in any way shape or form.
“His employer, who is attending in the public gallery. couldn’t speak higher of the contributions Mr Maris has made.”
Maris, of Parkinson Drive, Chelmsford, admitted one count of possession of cocaine with the intent to supply and being concerned in the supply of ketamine.
His Honour Judge Chris Morgan said: “You had worked out it is far easier to sell drugs to fund your lavish lifestyle without committing to normal, honest employment.”
He sentenced Maris to two years imprisonment suspended for two years and ordered the drugs and phones found to be forfeited.
He will also have to pay £500 in costs to the court.
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