Chesterfield men caught with £5,000 of cannabis in car during police check

Scott McAvoy was driving Benjamin Ward’s Ford Focus when officers spotted them together inside it on May 20, 2020, and a check revealed Ward was a banned driver.

Derby Crown Court heard how, after following the pair for a while, officers stopped the car on Lordsmill Street, at which point Ward, 30, was seen throwing “a large item” into a hedge.

A Crown prosecutor described how police found 478 grams of cannabis in the bag with a street deal value of £4,870, while McAvoy, 31, was found with £170 cash.

An analysis of the pair’s phones linked the drug conspiracy with a third Chesterfield man, Daniel Priest, 39, who was serving a life sentence at HMP Ranby.

During a police interview McAvoy denied any involvement and Ward gave no comment, however Priest admitted his part in the conspiracy – saying he did it to pay off debts after being threatened in prison.

The court heard all three were working for another man, Nathan Wilson, who was previously jailed for 27 months for dealing cannabis.

The trio all admitted conspiring to supply cannabis.

McAvoy, of Tupton Road, Clay Cross, had three previous convictions for five offences, while Ward, of North Street, Chesterfield, had 12 convictions for 18 offences.

Judge Shaun Smith KC told them: “For a short time in 2020 you were involved in a man called Nathan Wilson’s drug operation – he got sent to prison.

"He was given 27 months and was at the top of the tree and it seems like you, Mr McAvoy and Mr Ward, were working for him.

"You, Mr McAvoy, had a managerial role and you, Mr Ward, were a runner. At some stage you, Mr Priest, got involved from prison because it allowed you to pay a debt.”

Priest was handed the longest sentence of 10 months custody due to his involvement in the conspiracy while in prison.

McAvoy and Ward were jailed for nine months and five months respectively, however the judge suspended McAvoy and Ward’s custody terms.