A drug dealer who sold a supply under the name ‘Ducky’ apologised and gave freebies out to disgruntled customers, a court has heard.
Christopher Duckworth, 30, set up the ‘Ducky’ supply line in his own name, but after previously being released by the police following one arrest, the dad then continued his involvement in peddling drugs.
He was later caught again despite attempts to destroy evidence by smashing mobile phones.
Liverpool Crown Court heard yesterday that Duckworth had been seen dealing drugs from a home on Junction Lane, St Helens, last summer.
When he was searched, he had £260 in cash and two mobile phones, one of which was ‘ringing constantly’ as messages requesting drugs popped up.
Prosecutor Iain Criddle said messages advertising heroin, crack cocaine and class C substance pregabalin for sale were found on the phone, but added: ‘On occasions, some users were complaining about the quality and or quantity of that which had been supplied to them.
‘The defendant dealt with these complaints and was in a position, on occasion, to apologise for the poor quality or low quantity of the drugs and say, as a form of compensation, that next time they could have two extra wraps for free.
‘Clearly, the defendant has some responsibility over the supply chain rather than being somebody who is simply told to go out and supply wraps of heroin and crack cocaine to users.’
Duckworth was released under investigation following this arrest, but was later arrested again for drug-related offences.
He has a total of 15 previous convictions for 22 offences, including receiving a 15-month imprisonment suspended for two years for possession of heroin and cannabis with intent to supply in 2021.
Defending lawyer Joanne Daniels told the court: ‘He has been practical. He is looking into educational courses that the prison offers and wants to pursue them.
‘He is in a relationship. He gets on well with his parents. The defendant has two daughters from a previous relationship. One of his daughters is currently one year old.
‘The other is 10 years old. He wants to be a better father than he has been. He knows that, to do that, he needs to change his ways. Drugs have almost always been a feature in his life, and they have simply taken over. This pattern began as a youth. Since then, it has spiralled and escalated into supply.’
Duckworth admitted two counts of being concerned in the supply of heroin and crack cocaine, being concerned in the supply of pregabalin and failing to provide a specimen of blood for analysis.
He was jailed for five years and four months and banned from driving for five years.
Sentencing, Judge Katherine Pierpoint said: ‘Such was your role that, when there were complaints made about quality or quantity, you were able to respond saying that you would give them compensation. That clearly shows that you were in control of that graft phone.
‘Anybody who deals drugs in this city at the level that you have been dealing at will receive a custodial sentence.
;You only need to spend a few days in these courts to realise the devastating effect that these drugs have on the community. You involved yourself in peddling misery to others.’
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