Man jailed for five years for dealing cocaine
Cumbria policeA drug dealer caught with cocaine three times, including while on bail, has been jailed.
Bradley Cowan, 22, was sentenced to five years by a judge who told him that drugs "destroy lives, communities and families".
Cowan, of Lochinvar Close, Longtown, near Carlisle, first came to the attention of police as he rode an electric bike dangerously in May 2024, Carlisle Crown Court heard.
"Officers attended his home address and saw him run from the house and attempt to flee," prosecutor Andrew Evans said.
Following a "violent arrest" in which he assaulted an emergency worker, he was found in possession of six cocaine wraps and £460 cash.
Messages on his phone also showed he was offering to sell drugs to others.
'No excuses'
While on bail in September 2024, Cowan was searched by police after staff at Carlisle's Walkabout bar told them he was using drugs in a toilet.
He was found in possession of £1,225 cash and was seen on CCTV discarding a wrap of cocaine into a bin.
The court heard police found plastic wrapping, more cash, cannabis buds and remnants of white powder at his house.
Cowan denied being involved in drugs supply but police found more evidence of dealing from messages on his phone.
During another home search in January they found a golf ball-sized bag of cocaine along with weighing scales and £500 cash, as well as small bags of cocaine and cannabis.
He admitted being concerned in the supply of cocaine, two counts of possessing the class A drug with intent to supply, possessing cannabis with intent to supply and possessing criminal property.
Mitigating, David Wales said Cowan had shown symptoms of extensive mental health problems throughout his life and had not been offered assistance at a younger age when he should have been.
Sentencing, Recorder Ciaran Rankin told Cowan his mental health issues did not offer "any excuse whatsoever for dealing in class A drugs".
He said: "They destroy lives, communities and families. With that comes significant penalties for those caught in that type of behaviour."
