Drug dealer Destin Manuel gives himself up... because he misses his mum
by Paul Hooper
A drug dealer who went on the run for 11 months has given
himself up... because he couldn't visit his sick mum in France.
Destin Manuel, 18, fled after being bailed following his arrest
for dealing in heroin and crack cocaine in Love Street, Canterbury
last year.
The teenager failed to show up at Canterbury Crown Court for his
sentence for two charges of possessing Class A drugs with intent to
supply, which he admitted.
He claimed to police that he had been selling the illegal
substances to pay off a drug debt for his own habit.
A warrant for his arrest was issued but Manuel claimed he had
gone to Hertfordshire where he worked as a volunteer in a youth
project.
His barrister Victoria Kerly said Manuel finally handed himself
in to police on Tuesday February 5 because he couldn’t risk
travelling to France to visit his mother – with an arrest warrant
hanging over his head.
She also claimed that his girlfriend had terminated a pregnancy
because he feared starting a family knowing he was a fugitive from
justice.
Prosecutor Patrick Mullen said police officers spotted Manuel
acting suspiciously outside his home in Love Street and searched
him and found wraps of crack cocaine and heroin.
Inside the house – which he shared with another addict - they
discovered drugs with a street value of more than £1,200 hidden
inside a breakfast cereal packet. No-one was ever charged with
possessing the drugs.
Ms Kerly said that he was bailed to appear at court in March
last year but failed to show – claiming he was frightened of going
to jail.
She said: “It started as stupidity and fearfulness and developed
through not knowing how to deal with these crises and numerous
tragedies.
“Eventually realising that there were a number of things he
couldn’t do, like visit his father’s grave or go and visit his
mother in France who is very seriously ill.
"Neither could he become a parent with this hanging over him and
a decision was made that his girlfriend terminate her
pregnancy.”
But Judge Adele Williams sent him to a Young Offenders'
Institution for two years – adding another month for breaching his
bail.
06/02/13
- Click here for more Canterbury news...
- Click here for more news from across the county...