Clacton: Dealer convicted thanks to 'overwhelming' evidence

Patrolling officers performing a welfare check on the occupant of a car during the Covid-19 lockdown instead found him to be involved in drug dealing.

A thorough investigation by an officer with Clacton’s Community Policing Team secured a conviction and sentence more than three years on from this arrest.

At around 6.15pm on Thursday 7 May 2020, officer PC Williams was in an unmarked car patrolling the Clacton area.

He spotted 26-year-old Dante Cartier sitting in a parked car in Church Road.

Due to the Covid-19 restrictions in place at the time, our officer stopped to check on his welfare.

Cartier’s manner led PC Williams to perform checks on the vehicle, which showed as having no insurance.

He noticed a smell of cannabis and spotted several mobile phones on the front passenger seat of the vehicle.

Following a search, Cartier was found to be holding £435 in cash.
He was arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of controlled drugs and the phones were seized.

Analysis of the devices showed evidence of involvement in the supply of cocaine and heroin.

Despite this evidence, Cartier, from Hitchin, Hertfordshire, denied two counts of being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs.

He was convicted by a jury on both counts at Chelmsford Crown Court on 15 November 2023.

Appearing at the same court for sentence on Monday 15 January this year, 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.

'Drug dealing issue taken seriously in Tendring'

Officer in the case, PC Alan Williams 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.”

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