A 20-year-old Stroud man who lost his job after an accident at work turned to dealing in heroin and cocaine when other avenues for obtaining money had been denied to him, a court heard yesterday (Wednesday).

Regan Medford, 20, of Wheelers Walk, Paganhill, was jailed for two years eight months at Gloucester Crown Court after he admitted being concerned in the supply of heroin and cocaine and possessing the drugs with intent to supply.

Prosecutor Rupert Russell said that in September last year police had become aware that a new drug line had become operational, offering Class A drugs for sale in the Stroud area.

“On November 14th 2021 officers became aware that this drugs line had sent some 4,060 bulk messages to potential users offering crack cocaine and heroin," he said.

“The number used by the drugs line was tracked to where the user was topping up the pay as you go device to the Tesco Express store in Stratford Road in Stroud.

“Police obtained the CCTV from one of these transactions from October 4, 2021 and Regan Medford was later identified and arrested.

“On January 10 this year the police conducted a surveillance of Medford and witnessed him making an exchange with a known drug user - who was later arrested for possessing class A drugs and his phone was seized and analysed which confirmed Medford’s drug operation.

“Officers maintained their surveillance of Medford and saw him return to the Paganhill Estate, where he lived. At 3.30pm Medford began making his way to the Crown pub, when he was arrested.

“Medford’s home was searched and the phone that the police had identified as being used for drug dealing was located. It was seized along with 55 individual wraps of both heroin and cocaine found under sofa cushions in the lounge around and £380 in cash found in the bedroom.

“Medford was taken into custody for questioning and when he was strip searched he was found with 11 wraps of class A drugs hidden in his underwear.

“The total amount of drugs seized from Medford is estimated to be valued at around £1,620.”

The court heard that during his police interview Medford had made complete and frank admissions to his involvement of drug dealing and admitted running both the drugs lines that the police had identified.

“Medford also revealed that he was not a drug user himself and would purchase £350 worth of cocaine and heroin each week and sell it on to others - making a profit of between £600 and £700,” concluded the prosecutor.

Steve Young defending said: “This is Medford’s first experience of being remanded in prison.

“His family have been shocked by these offences. He still has their support. His family have presented a different side to his character to the one sitting in the dock.

“It is an interesting feature in this case that Medford has been completely honest about his drug dealing to various relevant bodies. He has not tried to hide his involvement in the slightest.

“He accepts that this was not a one-off and this clearly demonstrates the character he is. He was not a class A drug user himself.

“Medford explains that he grew up in London and his family moved to Stroud because of the amount of serious crime increasing in the area where they lived.

“Medford, as a 16-year-old, didn’t take to Stroud and moved back to London to live - but after getting into trouble with the police, he returned back to Gloucestershire and got a job working at children’s play area and he received the minimum wage.

“When this job came to an end he applied for benefits before finding employment, however this didn’t last long and he returned to claiming universal credit.

Medford then gained employment through the government’s kick start scheme and he began working at the company doing a job he loved.

"A few months later Medford was involved in a serious accident at work. He was working on the front of a fork-lift truck when the replacement driver failed to check that he was no longer using the machine and reversed it backwards. Medford became entangled in the machinery and dragged along the ground for several metres, causing him significant injuries.

“As a result, he was off work for some time due to his injuries, but he did not make a claim against the company. But when he did eventually return to work he was not offered the same job and was given an alternative role, which he didn’t enjoy.

“He felt they owed it to him to give him his old job back as a result of what had happened. He walked out. But when he went back to the jobcentre he was told that because he had left the kickstart scheme without good reason, he wouldn’t be entitled to any benefits for four months.

“It was at this point Medford was approached by a user of class A drugs asking if he dealt in heroin or cocaine. He didn’t, but decided to get involved as a way of making some money as official channels of obtaining money had been denied to him.

“I am sure that this will be the last time that Medford will appear before the courts.”

Medford pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of heroin and crack cocaine to others between September 1, 2021 and Jan 10, 2022.

He also admitted to possessing a quantity of crack cocaine and heroin with intent to supply to others on January 10, 2022 in Stroud.

Judge Recorder Andrew Langdon QC told Medford: “I appreciate that you suffered a bad accident at work and this was offered as an explanation rather than an excuse, as to how you got involved in drugs.

“You’ve admitted your role and your activities to the police at the outset. You were a busy street drug dealer. I have read a lot about you in various testimonials and a pre-sentence report to realise you are not stupid and that you have a good work ethic.”

The judge jailed Medford for two years and eight months and ordered that he pay a victim surcharge on release.