Scarborough drug dealer who used teenager to sell cocaine is jailed

Mark Weaver was jailed for four years on Tuesday

A drug dealer who used a 17-year-old boy to sell cocaine on his behalf has been jailed for four years.

Mark Alan Weaver, of Spreight Lane Steps in Scarborough, admitted supplying Class A drugs in the town.

He was found with cocaine worth up to £28,000 and £11,617 in cash when he was arrested by North Yorkshire Police, York Crown Court heard.

Judge Simon Hickey jailed Weaver on Tuesday and said Scarborough was "significantly blighted" by drugs.

The court heard Weaver, 33, was arrested after police searched a number of drug users' phones and found messages from Weaver.

A 17-year-old boy, who was one of Weaver's customers, was also working for him.

Prosecution barrister Brooke Morrison said police found messages from Weaver "instructing him to put someone's window through as well as selling on his behalf".

Ms Morrison said drug-dealing phone lines attributed to Weaver showed he had broadcast messages to users advertising "new stuff" and "rocket fuel".

'High purity'

On 9 September police arrested Weaver at his girlfriend's home.

They found bags containing pills, a large amount of cash and cocaine that was described as being of "high purity".

Weaver pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs, possession with intent to supply and possession of criminal property at York Magistrates' Court on 11 September.

The court heard he was selling drugs between 10 October 2022 and 9 September 2023.

'Towns blighted'

Defence barrister Nick Peacock said Weaver was a "family man" with two children, but that he had got involved in drugs during the pandemic.

Judge Hickey said Weaver had used a "young man under 18 in order to deal and also to mete out violence on your behalf".

"There are various cities and towns within my jurisdiction that are blighted by Class A drugs. Scarborough is significantly one of those," he said.

"They are the cause of misery, they result in deaths, poor health and huge economic crime as addicts struggle to pay for those Class A drugs."

Scarborough is "blighted" by Class A drugs, Judge Simon Hickey told York Crown Court

Speaking after the sentencing, Det Con Darrel Temple said: "Drug dealers like Mark Weaver are responsible for untold misery and must be stopped before they cause more harm to vulnerable people and the community in general.

"We will continue to use all the powers at our disposal to deter and disrupt such criminal activity and bring offenders to justice."