Cocaine dealer jailed for three years

Adrian Nicolae Ionut, 28, of Foxhall Road, Blackpool, was cleared of raping one of the women at an address in the resort, but was found guilty of possessing and supplying a class A drug.

Preston’s Sessions House Court heard one of the women had texted Ionut, who was in a nightclub at the time, requesting cocaine.

He had been in court just a few hours earlier for a string of other offences for which he received a suspended jail term.

Prosecuting, Alex Forde said: “He replied to the text saying it would be £70.

“He caught a taxi to her address.

“He produced a key from his pocket with the cocaine having fallen into the grooves. “The women snorted from it.”

The court heard Ionut later had relations with one of the women while the other was asleep.

They had shared drink and cocaine.

He was arrested in a bedsit in Blackpool when one of the women made allegations against him, which he was later cleared of.

Defending, Chris Hudson said he was not a professional drug dealer.

He added: “He needs to get away from the attitude it is alright to take cocaine. It may be prevalent in the nightclubs of Blackpool but it is still illegal.

“He stayed at the address for four hours and it became a social event. He was plied with drink.

“No cash changed hands.”

The court heard Ionut had claimed the £70 he referred in his text message was for vodka – but the idea was rejected by Recorder Long.

Sentencing he said: “This was a commercial transaction being set up by phone.

“You eventually moved across town and while at the address supplied each of them with a small quantity of cocaine.

“In my judgement it became a social event and you received payment in kind.

“The offences occurred very shortly after you had been in court the previous day which is a significant aggravating factor.”