Dad found with shock amount of cash and drugs in Plymouth

A man with no previous convictions of any kinds was told by a judge he should "never, ever have got involved" in the drugs trade.

Jordan McLean, 30, appeared at Plymouth Crown Court after he pleaded guilty to a series of offences following his arrest on July 10 this year. He admitted possession with intent to supply class B cannabis, possession of criminal property - namely cash, two counts of possession of an offensive weapon - a baseball bat and a baton, and one count of having an article with a blade, namely a lock knife.

Prosecutor Evie Dean told the court that Dean, of Saltash Road, Keyham, was seen leaving his home on July 10 by police who had received intelligence that he was involved in the supply of cannabis. He then climbed into a Jaguar car parked in nearby Ocean Street and drove off, eventually stopping in a car park in Beacon Park Road.

Officers approach McLean and the vehicle was searched. They found a baton behind the driver's door, a baseball bat behind the driver's seat and a lock knife in a box in the boot. They also found a quantity of cash from a man bag being carried by McLean, a Samsung mobile phone and an iPhone plus a small quantity of herbal matter.

Ms Dean said McLean was arrested and said he lived at an address in Kelly Close. He was taken back to the address in Saltash Road and a key seized from him was used to enter the property. Inside officer found a large quantity of cash, cannabis and drug paraphernalia including digital scales and multiple bags of "green matter" along with a notebook 'tick list" which are commonly used by dealers with the names and sales of drugs.

McLean was taken to Charles Cross police station where a further search was carried out and more drugs and cash was found in a pocket of his man bag. Police also seized a gold neck and wrist chains from McLean. Officers then attended the address McLean had given them in Kelly Close - where a family told investigators McLean did not live there.

During his interview with detectives McLean remained silent throughout.

The court heard that in total officers seized 9.5kg of cannabis with an estimated wholesale value of £42,290, cash of £695 on his person and £39,139.64 from his home.

Ms Dean said McLean had no previous convictions and only two cautions from 2010.

In mitigation McLean's advocate Nick Lewin presented the court with references from a workshop instructor at HMP Exeter where his client had been held for the last three and a half months, as well as his mother, grandmother and a friend. In addition Mr Lewin presented the court with a pre-sentence report from the Probation Service. He said that McLean's time in prison had left him missing his children "more than anything else".

Judge Robert Linford told McLean he took into account his early guilty pleas, his previous good character, the pre-sentence report and references. He said he had read the basis of plea - which was not read out in court - and suggested that the three and a half months he had spent on remand "must have been a substantial shock", but he said he saw "little gain" from a "really high punitive order". He told McLean a letter from staff at the prison "spoke very highly of you".

But Judge Linford said "you (McLean) should never have got involved in this. You should have never, ever got involved in this."

He handed McLean a prison sentence of 15 months, but suspended it for 20 months. He was also to be made subject of a 20 month community order and told him he must complete 100 hours unpaid work. Judge Linford warned McLean if he missed his appointments for unpaid work he'd be brought back to court and the starting point would be a 15 month jail term.

He agreed to the drugs, paraphernalia and weapons being destroyed and set a Proceeds of Crime Act hearing to be held on February 28, 2025.

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