A YOUNG drug dealer has finally been sentenced... nearly four years after being arrested during lockdown.

Dante Cartier, 26, was found sitting in a parked car at about 6.15pm on May 7, 2020 by officer PC Williams, who himself was in an unmarked vehicle. 

Due to lockdown restrictions, the officer performed a welfare check on the vehicle, found in Church Road, Clacton. 

It was soon established the car had no insurance, smelt of cannabis and had several mobile phones on the front passenger seat. 

Cartier, who was found to be holding £435 in cash, was arrested on suspicion of being involved in the supply of controlled drugs and the phones were seized.

Despite analysis of the devices showing evidence of involvement in the supply of cocaine and heroin, Cartier, of Hitchin, Hertfordshire, denied two counts of being concerned in supplying Class A drugs.

He was convicted by a jury on both counts, however, at Chelmsford Crown Court on November 15 last year.

Appearing at the same court for sentence on Monday, Judge Timothy Walker called the evidence against Cartier “overwhelming”.

The judge accepted Cartier was 22 years old when he committed the offences had since made efforts to rehabilitate himself and was at a low risk of re-offending.

He imposed a sentence of two years’ imprisonment, suspended for two years, with conditions attached to complete 250 hours of unpaid work and observe an electronically monitored curfew.

PC Alan Williams, an officer on the case, said: “Although this case took some time to reach a conclusion, it was good police work which ensured the evidence was solid enough to secure a conviction.

“Drug dealing is rightly taken seriously and the community in Clacton want us to take a tough stance against those who supply harmful substances in their town.

“We keep a watchful eye over our communities on a daily basis, acting when we see suspicious behaviour and thoroughly investigating those involved in the supply of drugs.

“It is really important residents in Clacton continue to tell us about suspicious activity in their roads and neighbourhoods.

“You are listened to and your reports are vital to us, helping us to build up intelligence against those involved in anti-social behaviour and drug supply.”