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At just 32 years old, Martyn Calvin Paul Goddard has been told he will die if he doesn't stop using drugs, as he appeared before both of the island's courts on the same day to face a number of charges relating to illegal substances.
Judge Russell Finch sentenced Goddard in both Guernsey's Royal Court and the Magistrate's Court when he appeared yesterday.
Goddard had already been in custody at Les Nicolles Prison since August - when he was arrested after failing to answer bail. His lawyer told the Royal Court he had wanted to be remanded in custody then, because he "felt that it would be a better place for him."
Defence advocate, Sam Steele, said Goddard felt he was a burden on those close to him so prison was best for him at that time.
Goddard has now been sentenced to two years in prison for a number of offences put to the courts yesterday.
Pictured: Guernsey's Les Nicolles Prison.
Crown Advocate Dunford had presented the case against Goddard in both his Royal and Magistrate's Court cases, where drugs were the familiar factor in both sets of charges.
The Judge and Jurats first heard how Goddard had been arrested in December 2017 and charged with possession of a number of drugs, which he was subsequently sentenced for by Judge Finch sitting as the Magistrate. It was after being arrested for those separate offences that Guernsey Police eventually unravelled a sorry tale of drug dealing. A criminal enterprise which was estimated to have made Goddard little money
It was estimated that between 23 November and 4 December, 2017, he had sold more than 2g, but no more than 10g of cannabis or cannabis resin. The court heard there was proof, via text messages found on one of two phones Goddard had when he was arrested for the separate offences, that he had sold the 2g for £40.
When Goddard was arrested for the initial offences, he was unable to give Guernsey Police the passcodes to the two mobile phones he was found with. He said one he had just bought and changed the passcode for and had forgotten it.
By February, a hi-tech crime investigator had managed to bypass the phone's security settings and had downloaded the data it contained. Guernsey Police then found a number of messages linked with eight different contacts providing evidence of drug dealing. Crown Advocate Dunford told the court no cannabis or cannabis resin was ever seized and the case relied solely on the telephone evidence.
Pictured: Goddard had two mobile phones on him when arrested in December 2017 (file image).
Faced with this evidence, Guernsey Police charged Goddard with being concerned in the supply of cannabis or cannabis resin and failing to disclose information, a charge which was later dropped. Whilst on bail for these offences Goddard was also charged with failing to surrender twice, when he didn't turn up to court at agreed times. This led to him being remanded in custody in August 2018.
While police investigations into the above charges were continuing, Goddard had also been charged with possession of 18 tablets and a vial of liquid testosterone following his initial arrest in December 2017. The court heard the tablets alone had a combined value of between £355 and £440.
Pictured: Goddard was sentenced by both the Royal and Magistrate's courts.
During his sentencing hearing, the Royal Court heard of Goddard's chaotic lifestyle, and a dependency on drugs which had started in his early teens, before he started taking heroin at just 15.
While defence lawyer Steele told the court that Goddard had initially been surprised at the seriousness of the situation he was facing in the Royal Court, he was under no illusions as he appeared for sentencing.
Goddard had not been involved in a sophisticated operation, the court heard, he was not offering drugs to children and he had only sold the cannabis to people he knew smoked it and who he thought would "appreciate the offer."
Advocate Steele told the court that Goddard's memory is not great, so he had simply forgotten the passcodes for his phones, while his chaotic lifestyle which had seen him sleeping in a car at times during the past year was to blame for him failing to appear at court previously.
Goddard's partner had suffered personal medical problems which upset Goddard and he "gave up" but the court heard he now wants to move on. Advocate Steele said, "he wants to work towards the happy, family life he dreams of."
Pictured: Judge Russel Finch sat in both the Royal and Magistrate's courts to sentence Goddard.
Sentencing Goddard in the Royal Court, Judge Russell Finch told him the court is bound by guidelines and they have to abide by them.
He acknowledged the offences were at the lower end of the scale, but Judge Finch told Goddard that "without small little deals at the lower level, there would be less opportunity for drugs to be taken."
A sentence of two years was handed down by the Royal Court for the supply charge, with two months to run concurrent for each charge of failing to surrender, making a total of two years.
Judge Finch then returned to sentence Goddard for the charges against him under the Magistrate's Court, which included possession of 18 tablets and a vial of testosterone.
He told the court he wasn't going to add anything to the sentence Goddard had just received, giving him two months in prison, to run concurrently with his Royal Court sentence.
Then, addressing Goddard directly Judge Finch told him he will die if he doesn't address his drug dependency issues.
Warning him that the court could be sitting for an inquest into Goddard's death before long, Judge Finch asked him "do you understand that?"
In total, for the charges faced in both the Royal Court and Magistrate's Court, which included being concerned in the supply of cannabis, failing to surrender to bail, possession of 17 MDMA tablets, one Subutex tablet and the vial of testosterone, Goddard was given two years in custody.
Pictured: Guernsey's court building.
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