A York drug dealer who gave police false details and drove around in luxury cars has been jailed for nearly seven years for supplying cocaine.
Michael Coulson, 38, drove around in a Mercedes and Audi TT and when stopped by police he gave them false names and dates of birth – and told them he didn’t have a phone despite officers hearing it ringing in the background, York Crown Court heard.
Prosecutor Beth Richardson said that Coulson was first arrested in November last year following a car crash and a road-rage incident on the A1079 in York.
It was just after midday when a member of the public called police to report a road-traffic collision in which Coulson, whose Mercedes was involved in the crash, had an “altercation” with the other motorist.
When officers arrived, they searched Coulson’s vehicle and found several grammes of cocaine including a “rock” in the footwell. They also found just over £800 cash, proceeds from drug-dealing.
Coulson was brought in for questioning but refused to comment and was released under investigation.
Forensic examination of his iPhone revealed messages indicative of drug-dealing dating back to August last year.
On 18 February this year, three months Coulson was released under investigation, police spotted him driving an Audi TT in Acomb and stopped the vehicle after a check on the national database revealed it wasn’t insured or taxed.
When stopped by officers, Coulson gave them a false name and date of birth.
When challenged about this, he gave another false date of birth which didn’t match the details from his first arrest and meant that he initially couldn’t be identified.
When asked for his phone, Coulson said he didn’t have one, but officers “could hear it ringing” inside the car, said Ms Richardson.
Coulson was asked to undergo a roadside drug wipe and tested positive for cocaine. Police also found £953 in his pockets, again proceeds from drug-dealing.
He was taken into police custody where he gave another false name, before revealing his real name.
During a search of the Audi, police found cocaine in powder form and rocks. They then searched his house and found a further 172g of cocaine, worth up to £19,640, inside a jacket pocket in his bedroom. They also found weighing scales, empty dealer bags and a debt list.
Coulson, currently of no fixed address after being remanded in custody, was charged with two counts of possessing a Class A drug with intent to supply and two counts of possessing criminal cash.
He admitted all four offences and appeared for sentence via video link on Friday, 10 April.
Ms Richardson said that Coulson had 27 previous offences on his record including possessing Class C drugs and drug-driving for which he received a suspended prison sentence in November last year.
Defence barrister Nick Hammond said that Coulson, a father-of-two, started using drugs about two years ago following the breakdown of a long-term relationship.
He moved out of the family home and ended up in shared accommodation where he was introduced to drugs.
“That spiralled out of control until he was unable to sustain his addiction by legitimate means and started selling drugs, in part to fund his own addiction,” added Mr Hammond.
Judge Simon Hickey jailed Coulson for six years and eight months but told him he would likely serve less than half of that behind bars before being released on prison licence.
