A drug dealing dad who ‘exposed his family to crime and drugs' has avoided prison.

Shammai Nicolas Duncan, 30, was arrested and had his Bridport property searched by police in relation to an undisclosed matter on March 26, 2020.

Prosecutor Richard Martin told Bournemouth Crown Court that officers found cannabis, ketamine and amounts of cash during the house search.

He said: “They searched his property and his partner was there with their two young children.

“They found £1,295 in cash, white powder suspected to be class A drugs and it turns there was a total of 43.24g of ketamine and two grams of cannabis.

“A report from police says the total value of the ketamine was £1,320 and it was far more than personal consumption and they were individually packaged.

Dorset Echo: Bournemouth Crown CourtBournemouth Crown Court

“There were also electric scales and more than £1,000 in cash. There were also text messages on the defendant’s mobile phone and they indicated the user of the phone was dealing quarter ounces of cannabis for £70.

“There was an incoming message asking for ketamine and it implied the sender knew he had ketamine or dealt with it. The phone was indicative of use for dealing.”

Duncan, now of St James Road in Netherbury, pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of cannabis, possession with intent to supply a controlled drug of ketamine and possession of cannabis.

Duncan pleaded guilty on the basis that the drugs were dealt to a limited amount of people and he was ‘feeding his own habit’, Mr Martin added.

In a bid to better understand Duncan’s actions, Judge Stephen Climie spoke to the defendant's partner and mother of their children and asked why he became involved in drug dealing and consuming them.

His visibly emotional partner said: “I don’t know. He started going out quite a lot. I don’t know (how he got into drugs).”

Mitigating, John Dyer, told the court that Duncan fell into a life of dealing and consuming drugs because he was ‘going out more’.

He said: “He was going out more unbeknownst to her. She was shocked when the police found all of these things.

“I asked him what was going wrong. He couldn’t answer other than he was enjoying cannabis and ketamine. I gave him a through telling off about the effects (of the drugs).

“He understands the dangers. He is full of remorse for him, his partner and family and he hasn’t touched a drop since his arrest which is a year-and-a-half ago.”

Duncan also told the court how he had ‘learned my lesson’ and ‘just wants this to be over’. Since his drugs arrest, he has become a ‘valued member of staff’ at a local shop.

Sentencing, Judge Climie, said Duncan was ‘fortunate’ to have a ‘strong’ and ‘responsible’ partner – but blasted Duncan for exposing his family to ‘dangerous’ drugs.

He said: “If you had been single with no partner or children and this same case came before me, ironically I’d be thinking of a custodial sentence with a lower level.

“The aggravating factor is exposing your partner and children to crime and in particular exposing your partner and children to drugs.

“From everything I have seen and heard about you, the last thing you want is your children to become involved in criminal activity.”

Duncan was sentenced to eight months in prison, suspended for two years, and ordered to undertake up to 30 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement days.

He was also ordered to carry out 120 hours of unpaid community work and pay £120 in court costs. The seized drugs were ordered to be destroyed while a confiscation order was made for the £1,295 cash found.

Judge Climie warned the defendant: “If you and I met again, it’s either you haven’t done what you’ve been told by probation service or you’ve offended again.

“There’s no second chances in my court.”