Fleetwood teen who turned to drug dealing after blowing late dad's inheritance narrowly escapes jail

Jack Croisdale, 19, was handed a suspended sentence after a judge told him he was “just about persuaded” he should spare him an immediate jail term due to his age and immaturity.

Recorder Geoffrey Lowe at Preston Crown Court said: “This is very much a warning shot across your bows.

“It is very much the only opportunity you will get.”

The court heard Croisdale was seen one morning by police leaving an address in Fleetwood known to be a regular house for the supply of drugs.

He got in a taxi and when officers stopped the vehicle he was found to have crack cocaine worth around £920 in his possession and £350 in cash.

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They searched the address he had just left and discovered almost £1,000 in a bedroom. He was arrested and gave a “no comment” interview at the police station.

Croisdale was then released under investigation.

Months later he was observed making a hand-to-hand exchange with a drug user in Blackpool.

When officers spoke to him he was found to have £170 in cash.

In a search of his home in Grange Road, Fleetwood, police found a mobile phone with messages about drug deals. One person was asking if they could get drugs on “tick”.

The search also turned up 14 wraps of crack cocaine worth around £290. Again he gave a “no comment” interview to police.

In addition Croisdale also pleaded guilty to a public order offence where he threatened a man with a weapon in public. That incident happened in October last year at 11:05pm when a topless man was seen being chased by four other males.

Doorbell footage showed Croisdale swinging a baseball bat at the man who was refusing to back down and turned on his pursuers. Croisdale dropped the bat, but another of the group picked it up and smashed a window with it at the man’s house before the gang ran off.

The court heard there had been “history” between Croisdale and the man who he had threatened. Footage of the attempted attack was played in court.

Prosecuting barrister Charlotte Phillips said it was clear from the video that Croisdale threatened the man with the weapon, but the man had stood up to the four men and “was not cowering away”.

Anthony Parkinson, defending, said his client had been only 18 when the drugs offences were committed and was probably just 17 when the offending began.

He claimed his role in the drugs operation had been a minor one and he had no influence on those higher up the chain. His only financial gain was paying off a debt he had run up with the group.

Mr Parkinson revealed that Croisdale’s father had tragically died when he was 14 and he had left him an inheritance “which he squandered in the worst possible way”.

He had resorted to buying drugs on “tick” and had run up debts which he was told he had to pay back by working for the gang.

Four months in custody on remand had been a tough lesson for him.

Recorder Lowe told Croisdale that immediate custody for Class A drugs offences was normal, but he was mindful of his age and his immaturity.

He said: “You know the effect drugs have on people and you were a willing participant in supplying them to people.

“For several months you were involved in supplying drugs. It was not something that happened on the spur of the moment.”

He added that despite being released by police under investigation for the drugs charges, he had then committed the baseball bat offence.

The judge told him that because of his age and his “lack of maturity” the court could consider a suspended sentence, even though he had also breached a community order issued in June last year for possession of Class A drugs.

He added: “I am just about persuaded that the sentence of prison which must follow can possibly be suspended for a period of two years.”

You had, for a young man, a considerable amount of money as a result of the sad death of your father when you were 14 – something you found difficult to cope with.

But you squandered it and turned to drugs and ran up debts.

“We can’t put an old head on young shoulders. I hope you seize this opportunity and learn from it.”

He was given a two-year prison sentence suspended for two years.

In addition the judge ordered him to do rehabilitation activity days as demanded by the probation service and complete 200 hours’ unpaid work.