Newcastle drug dealer seen counting money sentenced

Malachi Jamieson was given a suspended sentence at Newcastle Crown Court

A drug dealer caught after being seen counting cash in a car has been given a suspended prison sentence.

Malachi Jamieson, 27, was spotted acting suspiciously in Newcastle city centre on 23 July 2021 by officials, the city's crown court heard.

He admitted six charges including possession with intent to supply cocaine, MDMA, ketamine and cannabis.

He was jailed for two years suspended for two and ordered to complete 150 hours unpaid work.

Jamieson, of Broadwood Road in Newcastle, was seen by a county lines co-ordinator sitting in a car counting bank notes, the court heard.

Someone else then got out of the car and was seen moments later snorting something off their hand, Recorder Samuel Rippon said.

'Under pressure'

The witness, who was part of a team working to tackle the county lines drugs trade, alerted police who arrested Jamieson and discovered cannabis in his car.

More drugs were found at his home along with more than £9,000 in cash, the court heard.

The judge said he accepted Jamieson was acting "under pressure" for people to whom he owed a drugs debt and was "naïve" about what activities he would be expected to carry out.

Jamieson's "primary motivation" was to clear his debts, the judge said, adding he had shown "significant remorse" and was no longer using drugs at all.

The court heard he had a young child upon whom his imprisonment would have a "significant impact".

Jamieson admitted four drug offences and two money laundering offences.