Description
A convicted sex offender who brazenly refused to register his details – because it would mean being "labelled as a paedophile" – was later caught with a large stash of crack cocaine ready for selling on the streets.
Drug addict James Fox hurriedly tried to make a run for it when he was spotted and chased by the police – and he threw a bag of cocaine away. It landed on the ground and split open, spilling a large amount of white powder on the street, Hull Crown Court heard.
Fox, 28, of Hull, admitted possessing crack cocaine with intent to supply, offering to supply crack cocaine and three offences of failing to comply with his notification requirements as a sex offender. Nick Peacock, prosecuting, said that Fox had been convicted at Hull Magistrates' Court of sexual assault and he had been ordered on October 16, 2020 to register as a sex offender, including notifying any change of address within three days.
Checks were made on May 19 last year at the home of his mother, which Fox had registered as his address, but she said that he had not lived there since January last year. He was circulated as wanted and financial checks revealed that he had failed to register a bank account that he was using on the day that he had been sentenced.
He failed to attend at Clough Road police station, Hull, on October 16 last year for his mandatory annual registration as a sex offender. On June 26 this year, police identified Fox as he drove a Ford Focus in Hull. They attempted to pull the car over but Fox failed to stop and he was pursued.
He was eventually pulled in and, while he was standing outside the car, he tried to run off and threw a bag, which burst open when it hit the ground, spilling a large amount of white powder – cocaine – on the street.
"This was swept up and seized," said Mr Peacock. "It was a relatively large amount of cocaine, 14 or 15g." It would have had a street value of about £1,500.
Two mobile phones were seized. One of them had a drugs message on it reading: "Got some nice pure if anyone needs it. It's James."
Fox later told police that he would never register as a sex offender because this would mean him being "labelled as a paedophile". The police would have to arrest him again because he would not comply.
He had convictions for seven previous offences, including possessing drugs, but not for supplying them. Richard Butters, mitigating, said that Fox had pleaded guilty at an early stage. "This defendant was, at the time, and had been for about three years, a crack cocaine addict," said Mr Butters.
"He was addicted to crack cocaine. He was completely off the rails. While he was taking crack cocaine, he was completely out of control. He was massively in debt.
"He was homeless at the time. He had nothing. He was dealing crack cocaine to pay off debts, to pay for food, to pay for drink and to live. He was not doing this for any form of wealth or power. He was doing it to live.
"He says that it was a blessing that he got caught. It slowed him down. He is now clean of any form of drug. He has been a fool, he knows that. He knows what life can be without crack cocaine.
"He has lost everything. He had a girlfriend prior to taking crack cocaine. She has left. His family and friends have disowned him.
"Prior to crack cocaine, he had a business in partnership with a friend of his, gardening and landscape. That went to pot when he started to take crack cocaine because he couldn't concentrate on his business."
Recorder Abdul Iqbal KC told Fox: "Trafficking in controlled drugs fuels all sorts of other criminal behaviour. It ruins lives. You were operating a supply line for Class A controlled drugs from your own mobile phone. You expected significant financial advantage from that illicit controlled drug."
Fox was jailed for three years and four months. The phone seized will be forfeited.