Scarborough couple found with 19 mobile phones and home-made stun gun at their home, court hears

Julie Mary Davies, 48 and Andrew Hull, 41, who live together on Colescliffe Road, were initially arrested in April 2019.

Police searched their house and found 80 grams of amphetamines, 25 grams of cannabis and a bag of ground cannabis, in their kitchen cupboards.

They also found bags of the amphetamine containing traces of caffeine and dextrose.

Prosecutor Lucy Brown told the court that the amphetamines had a street value of £1,400 if cut to sell in one gram deals.

The cannabis could have netted the couple £200.

Lucy Brown said that caffeine and dextrose are common cutting agents.

Police also found 19 mobile phones with numerous sim cards, a made-to-order stun gun, £1,370 in cash, scales, a cannabis grinder and some foreign coins.

The home-made stun gun, similar to a taser, was designed to give out high voltage electricity.

It had been made from two lithium batteries, screws and an old mobile phone.

Police say there was evidence it had been made-to-order by an acquaintance of the couple.

The couple were bailed while police continued their enquiries.

But on February 10 2020, officers decided to search the couple’s house again.

This time they found cannabis to the value of £85, £40 of amphetamines and digital scales.

Davies and Hull were re-arrested.

The prosecution told the court that forensic examination of the mobile phones showed Julie Davis had sent and received numerous messages arranging to sell drugs.

Police also found evidence that she was selling the drugs via Facebook messenger.

Defending Andrew Hull, barrister Richard Canning said the couple were only dealing to a small circle of friends because they were addicts themselves.

Mr Canning said his client maintained he had never used the stun gun, but that he had ordered it to protect his family.

His client said he used the amphetamines to help him lose weight.

The couple denied that they had continued to deal drugs after their first arrest, but that the police had simply missed the second lot of drugs found, during their first search of the house.

Davies pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of a Class B drug with intent to supply (class B) and also to the offence of possession of a controlled drug (class B).

Hull admitted possession of a prohibited weapon and to two counts of possession of a Class B drug (amphetamine)

Sentencing the couple, Judge Simon Hickey told them that "anyone who deals in drugs in my court goes to prison or gets a suspended sentence".

For possession of the cannabis with intent to supply, Davies was sentenced to a 12 month prison term, suspended for 12 months.

Judge Hickey told her that the messages showed she was more heavily involved in the drug dealing enterprise.

Davies was also handed a community order requiring her to attend 30 days of rehabilitation.

Hull was handed an 11-month sentence, suspended for one year, for two counts of possession of the amphetamines with intent to supply, and the possession of a prohibited weapon.

He was handed a community order with a requirement to attend eight days of rehabilitation.

Judge Hickey ordered the forfeiture of the £1,327 in cash that was found.

The stun gun, drugs, foreign currency and any other equipment used in the drug dealing, will be destroyed.