"We have no option but to send you to prison"

Thursday 24 September 2020

A 26-year-old has been sent to prison for two years after he admitted to supplying over 800g of cannabis resin to others.

Jason Enticott has been sentenced to two years in Les Nicolles Prison for turning to the "black economy" of drug dealing to make some quick cash.

Officers conducted a search of Enticott's home at around 14:00 on 12 February while the defendant was out. 817.92g of cannabis resin, the majority of it in bars, was found in his kitchen cupboards, along with 4g of herbal cannabis, six gabapentin tablets and some digital scales. 

He was arrested and cautioned around an hour later. At the station, he admitted that he had supplied cannabis resin to others in a prepared statement.

Crown Advocate Fiona Russell said the quantity of drugs had a local street value of £16,000 to £24,000.

Pictured: Enticott was sentenced on Wednesday morning in Guernsey's Royal Court. 

Defence Advocate David Domaille said his client had not tried to "wiggle out" of the drug supply charge and had instead professed his guilt at the earliest opportunity.

He accepted full responsibility for his actions and said no one else in his family knew that he was supplying drugs. 

Advocate Domaille said his client had sought a "quick fix" to financial difficulties he was going through at the time. He said Enticott has expressed deep remorse and has struggled to come to terms with the prospect of spending a significant amount of time away from his partner and young family.

"It is the impact on his family that has weighed most heavily on his heart today," said Advocate Domaille. "He recognises that he has let his family down and that he will not be there for the next few years. He finds that extremely painful."

The Bailiff Richard McMahon said, in a carefully worded statement, that the Court had "no option available to it" but to send Enticott to prison. 

"You are still a relatively young man and there is scope for you to mend your ways in the future," he said.

Pictured: The Bailiff Richard McMahon and nine Jurats presided over the case. 

"You know full well that those who deal drugs [...] inevitably face prison sentences. There is no option available to the Court but to send you to prison."

Mr McMahon added that Enticott's sentence must act as a deterrent to others who, for whatever reasons, consider "turning to the black economy of drug dealing", saying Enticott had been "misguided" in doing so.

He was sentenced to two years for the drug supply offence and incurred smaller, concurrent charges for the possession of herbal cannabis and gabapentin.