TWO YOUNG men have been spared jail after police pulled them over and discovered drugs stashed under their car bonnet.

Lance Heaver, 24, was driving the silver BMW and Tanaka Mushangi, also 24, was a passenger when police noticed the vehicle was being driven strangely, Oxford Crown Court heard on Thursday.

The car was stopped in Oxford in December last year at about 3pm and prosecutor Nadia Shabat said officers described the car as smelling heavily of cannabis.

Heaver, of Kestrel Crescent, Blackbird Leys, admitted possession of cocaine and heroin with intent to supply and also possession of cannabis.

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Mushangi, of Clematis Place, Blackbird Leys, admitted being concerned in the supply of cannabis after incriminating text messages were found on his phone.

Adrian Langdale, defending Heaver, said he had “turned to drugs” after the death of his stepfather in a car accident in March last year. But he said since his arrest Heaver had worked hard to turn his life around and now had a job and was also taking a college course.

Graham Bennett, defending Mushangi, said he too had worked to move on and was studying geology at university.

Judge Ian Pringle, sentencing, said to Heaver: “People who deal in heroin and cocaine on the streets of this country deserve to go to prison for a considerable period of time.”

But handing Heaver a 18-month sentence suspended for two years, he said: “What has turned me in your case are the number of letters and references I have and the letter from you.

“You seem to have turned your life completely around.”

Heaver was also told to do 180 hours of unpaid community work, abide by a two-month curfew order, and a pay a £100 victims’ surcharge.

Mr Pringle added: “I have taken an exceptional course with you. Don’t let me down, don’t let your family down and in particular don’t let yourself down.”

Mr Pringle said to Mushangi that it was clear he had good prospects.

He ordered him to do 120 hours of unpaid community work and pay a £60 victims’ surcharge.

 

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