Winsford drug dealers sentenced after police stop-check find

Officers carried out a stop-check of a silver Ford Fiesta in Wharton Gardens, Winsford, shortly after 9pm on Saturday, January 4, earlier this year.

Lewis Whalley, of Wharton Gardens, was the driver, while the front seat passenger was Callum Thompson, of Plantagenet Close, Winsford.

With a strong smell of cannabis emanating from the car, Whalley informed the officers he had just purchased some cannabis, producing a silver snap bag from the glove box.

The bag contained herbal cannabis and a further search of the vehicle revealed 42 snap bags, matching the one containing the drug, had been stashed in the glove box.

A Cheshire Police spokesman said: "Both Thompson and Whalley were arrested for being concerned in the supply of drugs.

"Thompson was in possession of £220 in cash which was seized, along with his mobile phone. Whalley’s mobile phone was also seized.

"Following their arrest, a section 18 search of Thompson's home address on Plantagenet Close, Winsford, was carried out where officers recovered a further mobile phone.

"The mobile phones were downloaded, providing evidence both Thompson and Whalley were concerned in the supply of cannabis between August 31 and November 5, 2023."

The pair were charged with two counts of being concerned in the supply of class B drug cannabis, which they admitted at court on August 2.

Returning to the dock at Chester Crown Court on October 21, Recorder Eric Lamb handed down their sentences.

Thompson, aged 25, was handed an eight-month prison sentence, suspended for a year.

He was also ordered to complete 35 days of rehabilitation activity and 100 hours of unpaid work within the next 12 months.

Whalley, aged 20, was handed a 12-month community order in which he must do 200 hours of unpaid work.

Recorder Lamb also ordered the seized cannabis and mobile phones to be destroyed, while the seized cash will be used by Cheshire Police chief constable in the fight against drug crime.