Burnley ‘luxury life’ drug dealer sent to jail (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Burnley ‘luxury life’ drug dealer sent to jail

3:00pm Thursday 30th August 2012 in News By Wendy Barlow, Court reporter

A DRUG dealer who “lived a life of luxury” has been locked up for eight months.

Daniel Sharples, 27, had been found to have cannabis, with a street value of £1,400, hidden in different parts of his house when police raided the rented property in Fur-ness Street, Burnley, last September.

Sharples, who has epilepsy, received £1,200 in benefits every month and smoked about £800 worth of drugs, also had about £1,000 cash in his pocket.

The town’s crown court had been told how, as well as the drugs stashes and the money, police discovered his house was full of high value electrical goods.

These included a large American-style fridge freezer, a £700, 47-inch flat screen television, surround-sound systems, an X-box, and a DVD player, as well as expensive leather sofas and designer clothing and footwear.

The defendant had claimed he paid for his heavy drugs habit and the luxury items from his benefits, and with the help of his mother.

Sharples had admitted possessing cannabis with intent to supply, on the basis he would sometimes sell drugs to friends only at cost price and didn’t make a penny.

The Crown did not accept it and said that there was no other explanation for his lifestyle and the cash.

But, when Sharples was sentenced the prosecution told the court it would not be seeking a proceeds of crime hearing.

That means Sharples gets to keep the costly goods the prosecution say were paid for by drugs. The money has since been taken off him.

Sentencing Sharples, Rec-order Clarke said: “The public would be appalled if epilepsy were allowed to excuse you a jail sentence when you were still able to go to a gym and enjoy all the trappings of a drug dealer’s lifestyle.”