Grantham man avoids jail after boasting that people sold drugs for him

A Grantham man who boasted to his sister that he had people selling drugs for him has received a six-month suspended jail sentence.

In fact police found no evidence of that but Owen Lorne was charged with possession of cannabis with intent to supply.

At Lincoln Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, the 23-year-old pleaded guilty to the offence.

Prosecutor Lottie Tyler said police were made aware of Lorne’s claim by a recorded phone conversation with his sister.

“He admitted that people sold drugs for him during the phone call,” said Miss Tyler.

“He said ‘I don’t need to sell drugs, people sell drugs for me – get it right’.”

The court heard that the response was “oh wow, that makes you a big man,” to which the defendant replied: “No, I’m only five foot eight.”

A search of his home on November 6 last year turned up a quantity of cannabis in a pizza box and £670 in cash.

Rob Arthur, mitigating, said: “I think you can garner from the outline provided that the information was passed by his sister to the police. He was effectively bragging to his sister.

“There was no evidence found by police that there was anybody else working for him.”

The solicitor, who suggested the amount was 28 grams, added: “If friends needed any [cannabis], he would supply to them for a very nominal amount of money.

“He’s a young man with no previous convictions at all.”

Passing the sentence of six months in prison suspended for 18 months, deputy district judge Frank Appleyard told Lorne: “You took a massive risk with your liberty by offending as you have.”

The judge made orders for forfeiture and destruction of the drug and for Lorne, of Earlesfield Lane, to pay £239 in costs and victim surcharge.