‘This is a crossroads for you’ drug dealer told at sentencing

Zac Dean Arthur Rive, 20, had admitted intending to supply cannabis, cannabis resin and MDMA to others, as well as refusing to supply police with passcodes to three mobile phones.

He came to the attention of police last August when they were patrolling around Skins Lane. When Rive saw the police car, he ran and refused to stop when officers asked him to. The officers gave chase as Rive headed towards the Water Lanes. Rive then fell, dropping his mobile in a stream. He smelled of cannabis and admitted he had smoked some of the drug earlier. He was searched at the police station and nothing was found, but then some fentanyl patches were discovered in his phone case.

Police then searched his bedroom and found MDMA, cannabis and cannabis resin, as well as nearly £2,000 in cash.

A drawstring bag was also found in an outside shed, containing the three drugs.

In September, officers saw Rive exit a vehicle in Vauvert and the police gave chase, arresting him for possession of drugs.

A Samsung mobile phone was seized. In October, police searched a property in Pont Vaillant, and in an outbuilding a black lockbox was found.

Its key was discovered in the plastic light fitting and inside was found cannabis, cannabis resin and MDMA. Rive was linked to the box and arrested again.

In November, he was arrested at a property in Sausmarez Street.

He admitted to the police they would find drugs that were his. As well as MDMA, cannabis and cannabis resin, they also found more than £900 in cash, as well as clingfilm and digital scales. An iPhone was also seized. Rive refused to provide passcodes to any of the mobiles, in breach of the investigatory powers regulations, although investigators were able to access two of them without his help.

In total, 132 MDMA tablets and 1.77g of MDMA powder were recovered. These had a value of £1,983 to £2,645, and £142 to £177 respectively. With the cannabis and cannabis resin at 1,775g, the value was between £35,501 and £53,252.

Nine other counts of possession of various drugs were taken into consideration by the court, but did not form part of the charges.

Defence advocate Paul Lockwood told the Royal Court that his client had a chaotic life as a teenager and had experienced problems with drugs and alcohol since he was 13. He has previous matters on his record and has been in prison.

There, Advocate Lockwood said, his client was preyed on by those who sought to take advantage of him to sell drugs.

‘It was not a situation he felt able to extricate himself from,’ he said.

Despite this, his client accepted his guilt.

‘He did know what he was doing and he will accept his punishment.’

In sentencing, Deputy Bailiff Jessica Roland said while Rive was only 20, he had a substantial record and there was a high risk of him reoffending.

Rive was sentenced to six years’ youth detention for the MDMA matter and three years, concurrent, for the cannabis. He was also sentenced to nine months, consecutive, for the disclosure matters.

She hoped the time in prison would allow him to improve himself.

‘This is a crossroads for you,’ she said.