A teenager whose promising life was shattered when the police looked into his JD sports bag

A teenager was caught armed with a converted blank gun while dealing heroin and crack cocaine

A teenager’s promising life was shattered when police found him hiding in the bushes and discovered a loaded firearm in his JD sports bag. Sonny Daley was caught with a converted handgun while dealing heroin and crack cocaine in a park.

He allegedly became employed in the drug trade after incurring a cannabis-related debt. A judge today told the former junior boxer and community volunteer it was a “terrible shame” he had “fallen so far”.

‌

On Tuesday, Liverpool Crown Court heard that police were patrolling Everton’s Grant Gardens on the afternoon of July 25 this year when they spotted Daley with a JD sports bag on his shoulder. The 18-year-old, from Tordelow Close, Everton, “appeared to be a drug dealer” and officers tried to arrest him as a result.

READ MORE: He “wanted revenge” after playing pool in a pub and stabbing his opponentREAD MORE: The man “sneaked” into the mother’s life and then molested her daughter

But prosecutor Derek Jones described how he instead “dumped” some of the illegal substances in his possession and fled towards Everton Road. Daley then continued on to Bright Street before turning into an alley leading to Churton Court, where officers “heard rustling in the bush” and discovered the defendant’s hiding place.

‌

Sign up for FREE email alerts from the ECHO Daily News

We use your registration to deliver content in the manner you consented to and to better understand you. This may include advertising from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. More information

His bag was also found nearby, next to more packages of drugs. When officers looked inside they “immediately noticed what appeared to be a firearm” and £890 in cash.

A total of 31 wraps of crack cocaine with an estimated value of £660, 44 wraps of cocaine worth £880 and 22 wraps of heroin with a street value of around £440 were seized. Daley told officers at the scene that the weapon was “fake”, but upon analysis it turned out to be a converted Turkish-made blank pistol that had passed tests.

It was also loaded with four bullets, which were themselves converted from blank bullets. However, the gun was not linked to any previous shootings. After learning that Daley had no previous convictions, Judge Simon Medland KC told defense lawyer Lloyd Morgan: “Your client is 18 and has a previous good record. What a terrible shame.”

‌

Morgan replied: “I don’t think the word tragedy is an exaggeration. He is a young man, I am sure your Honor will attest to from his references, who not only had a lot of promise in society but had already made a huge contribution to many of the organizations he was involved with, including the amateur boxing club and Everton’s youth community, where he was named member of the year a few years earlier. The fall at the hands of such a promising young man illustrates some fundamental problems in the community. “

The judge added: “This is endlessly depressing. Some people seem to find drug dealing glamorous. In reality this is not the case. It destroys people’s lives. “Weapons in particular are an absolute threat.”

Morgan continued: “He is completely embarrassed. He asked me to express my shame and regret at my involvement. He knows that not only has he failed himself and his family, but he realizes the damage it perpetuates in society.

‌

“He was in college thinking about working on the railroad. He was heavily involved in amateur boxing. He finished at the age of 15 and unfortunately started using cannabis, which led to him getting into debt. This is what led to this crime. He was pressured into dealing drugs and carrying firearms he believed to be fake.

“Since he has been in custody at Altcourse, he has not wasted any time. He is employed as a wing cleaner. After leaving prison, he wants to try to work on the railway again. Family support is here. “They will continue to offer their support to Mr Daley, recognizing that he is a good person who has been the victim of a crime, but that this is not a lost cause.”

Daley pleaded guilty to possession of a prohibited firearm, possession of uncertified ammunition, possession of heroin and crack cocaine with intent to supply and possession of criminal property. Appearing via video link from HMP Altcourse wearing a blue Under Armor T-shirt, he was jailed for five years and four months.

‌

Passing sentence, Judge Medland said: “It is very sad that a promising, previously good character with a good family and community support should stoop so low as to behave in this way. Any person who believes that drugs are somehow glamorous should be disowned very quickly.

“Drugs destroy people’s lives. They destroy society, break up families and cause only harm. You are a living example of this. Despite the many advantages you had in life and the promise you made as a young boxer, you started taking cannabis. This brought you into contact with serious criminals who then hired you to work.

“By working the way you have, you have helped perpetuate the cycle of corruption and despair that drugs bring into people’s lives. You did this armed with a working gun that was loaded.

‌

“You may have thought it was still a blind-firing gun, but by the time you got it, the original color had been painted over black and the gun was loaded with four bullets and it worked. This is a very serious crime, even for a young man of previously good character.”