Jail for ‘busy’ drug dealer caught in Bulwell who stored cocaine at his mum's house

Police stopped Daniel Widdowson on Sandhurst Lane at 5.15pm on May 9, 2022 and found three wraps of cocaine, worth £160, with £10 of cannabis in his car, Nottingham Crown Court was told.

When his home address - which he shared with his brother, mum, and sometimes her grandchildren - was searched more than £3,000 of cannabis was discovered along with ten bags of cocaine with a wholesale value of £1,000.

Notepads, digital scales, deal bags and dealer lists were recovered with £1,020 in cash, said prosecutor Abigail Hill.

Two of his four mobile phones contained evidence of street dealing that stretched back almost two years.

Widdowson has 12 previous convictions for 18 offences, including possession of cannabis in 2007 and cocaine in 2020.

The court heard he played a “significant” role and the offences were aggravated by the fact children were sometimes present in the house where the drugs were found.

Ellesse Taylor, mitigating, said: “He is under no illusion as to the seriousness of his offending and attends court today with a bag.”

She said he deserved full credit for entering guilty pleas at the earliest opportunity.

Widdowson left work in 2021 because of “stress caused by an unmanageable workload” and started selling cannabis socially but it spiralled out of control when he got involved in cocaine dealing. He inherited a drug debt incurred by his cousin and threats were made to stab his mother.

“He doesn't see this as an excuse,” said Ms Taylor. “He is not proud of his actions.

"He realises he has let himself and his children down. He is truly remorseful.

Since his arrest he has stayed out of trouble and has recently secured work in construction, she said. “Custody would send him back to square one.”

Widdowson, aged 33, of Minver Crescent, Nottingham, admitted possession with intent to supply class A and B drugs at a previous hearing.

On Thursday, Judge Steven Coupland told him: "You don't need me to explain that class A drugs ruin the users' lives."

He jailed Widdowson for two years and eight months.

He will serve half of that time in custody and the rest on licence.