A cannabis dealer received the birthday gift of his liberty.

Jack Trinder, who turned 27 on the day of his sentencing hearing on Friday, was seen by the police behind the wheel of a car near Witney on May 29, 2020.

He met with another man – understood to be now convicted drug dealer Leighton Say – who was on foot.

Both were arrested by the police officers after the exchange. When officers raided the home he shared with his parents they found 147g of cannabis, worth roughly £1,500, stashed in the loft.

His phone was seized, with messages revealing he had been involved in the supply of the class B drug for between four and five months.

Trinder, of Curbridge Road, Ducklington, pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to possession with intent to supply cannabis.

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Judge Michael Gledhill KC, dealing with the case at Oxford Crown Court on Friday morning, was told that Trinder started selling the drug after racking up an estimated £2,000 debt to a ‘sinister and powerful offender’.

That man trapped him in his net by initially offering free cannabis, giving him clothes and the use of a car.

All of a sudden, the freebies turned out to be anything but – and Trinder was offered an ultimatum to either pay it back or start selling his cannabis. He had subsequently been threatened by the ‘sinister’ dealer.

Surveying the defendant’s 18 previous offences to his name, Judge Gledhill said: “It’s got to stop. You have got to grow up.

“How you got involved in drugs if you’re telling the truth to the probation officer who prepared the report is equally pathetic; meeting somebody who impressed you because of a fast car and nice clothes.”

The judge was asked by Trinder’s advocate not to send the young dad into prison. He was in work and looked after one of his children.

Judge Gledhill imposed 18 months’ imprisonment, but said he could suspend the sentence for two years bearing in mind the impact that it would have on others.

But he had harsh words for the man in front of him in the dock, saying he should be ‘setting an example’ to his child. “You’re doing the opposite.”

He added: “You’re now 27. You’re not 17. You’ve got to grow up.”

As part of the suspended sentence order he must complete 150 hours of unpaid work and up to 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

He must pay £500 in costs and the £140 seized from him when he was arrested was forfeit to the police.

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This story was written by Tom Seaward. He joined the team in 2021 as Oxfordshire's court and crime reporter.  

To get in touch with him email: Tom.Seaward@newsquest.co.uk

Follow him on Twitter: @t_seaward