A CANNABIS user from Bolton claimed he turned to drug dealing in Kent in order to fund Christmas in Maidstone with his mum.

Alison Mather, prosecuting, told how, in December 2020, police county lines teams in Maidstone were investigating the supply of drugs which they thought had originated in Manchester.

On December , in Wyatt Street, Maidstone, officers spotted a suspected drug deal, stopped a man and found a “burner phone” on him.

Among the messages on the phone, and another mobile, were texts advertising drugs for sale including cannabis, heroin, cocaine and ketamine.

The messages were being sent in bulk to known drug users in the Maidstone area from a number used by Reagen Corbin, who had travelled to the town from Manchester on Christmas Eve.

Bolton Crown Court heard how, on January 19, Matthew Haslam was caught on CCTV buying a top-up card for the phone from Tesco in Farleigh Hill, Maidstone.

Haslam, of Malvern Avenue, Bolton, was arrested two days later in Melville Road, Maidstone, after he and Corbin were spotted dealing to users in the street. Haslam had £240 worth of heroin on him and a kitchen knife in his waistband.

Haslam’s mother told police that Haslam had been staying in her converted garage with a friend.

The 21-year-old pleaded guilty to drug dealing offences but denied he had taken the drugs to the Kent town from Manchester.

He claimed he had bought them locally to sell on.

“He pleaded guilty on the basis that he travelled to Maidstone to visit his mother over Christmas,” said Miss Mather.

“He and his co-accused had spoken during the journey down from Manchester about the money that could be made supplying drugs and planned to dabble in some small-scale supply to contribute towards the cost of Christmas.”

Corbin has since been convicted of drugs offences and sentenced, at Maidstone Crown Court, to three years in prison.

At the time Haslam was on bail for other drug dealing offences committed in Bolton on December 4, 2019.

Miss Mather told how police had spotted Haslam and 25-year-old Luke Martin pushing a stolen Ford Fiesta towards a petrol pump on a garage forecourt in Chorley Old Road.

Martin, of Thorpe Street, Bolton, ran off with a JD carrier bag, dumping it in a wheelie bin but, after a chase, he was caught and the bag recovered. Cannabis, cash and scales were recovered from the car.

Haslam also ran off from the vehicle but he too was caught. At Martin’s home more cash and a debtor’s list was found.

The previous year, on December 2, Martin was caught driving a stolen Seat Ibiza on Moorfield Chase, Farnworth. Inside car were snap bags, cannabis and cocaine plus £200 and a mobile phone.

Martin was again found with cannabis and cocaine, kept in a man bag in a Vauxhall Corsa on May 15 last year.

Haslam pleaded guilty to handling stolen goods, being concerned in the supply of heroin and cocaine,possession with intent to supply heroin, having a knife in public and offering to supply cocaine and heroin.

Martin admitted handling stolen property, possessing drugs with intent to supply, supplying and possessing cocaine and cannabis and possessing criminal property.

Kyra Badman, defending Martin, said at the time he committed his first offence he had lost his job just two months before qualifying as an electrician and had fallen in with a bad crowd.

“His own cannabis dealer suggested he involve himself in the drugs trade,” she said.

But she added that, since that time, Martin has turned his life around and now runs his own successful business.

“His life was very different to the person he is now,” she added.

Mark Friend, defending Haslam, said his client and Corbin’s drug dealing in Maidstone had been not sophisticated.

“In reality they had left something of a Hansel and Gretel trail all the way back to themselves,” said Mr Friend.

“It was two young men trying to make money in order to support their own habits.”

Recorder Simon Hilton sentenced Halsam to 46 months in jail and Martin to 42 months behind bars.