A Nottinghamshire man has been dealt a community sentence after police intercepted him when officers noticed the distinctive smell of cannabis coming from his car. Nottingham Crown Court heard that 24-year-old Bradley Rose had been distributing cannabis to people he knew in order to pay off money he owed from purchasing the class B drug for his own use. The defendant, whose address is on Gateford Road in Worksop, initially claimed he was not selling to anyone, insisting that the £390 of cannabis, scales, and water pipe found in his vehicle were all for his own personal use. He received his sentence during the week he turned 25, resulting in more favorable terms. Judge Rosalind Coe KC sentenced him to an 18-month community order, remarking that Rose had been a drug user who accumulated a debt and began supplying friends to help repay it. The judge observed this had been a learning experience and that Rose had taken positive steps, which was encouraging.

Jack Ferdinando for the prosecution told the court that officers spotted the defendant’s car on Red Lane in Carlton-in-Lindrick on November 1, 2024. He said police officers caught the smell of cannabis from the Mercedes and pulled the vehicle over. The prosecutor added that upon stopping, the odor intensified, so they questioned the defendant, who acknowledged having recently smoked cannabis. Inside the Mercedes, officers discovered 39.58g of cannabis with an approximate street value of £390 when sold in £10 bags, along with a set of scales. Additional items were also located, including a grinder and a bong, and his mobile phone was confiscated after he provided the PIN code. During questioning, he claimed the cannabis was for personal use and denied selling any of it.

Rose later admitted guilt to being concerned in the supply of cannabis. He provided a basis for his plea which the prosecution partially accepted, confirming he had only been selling to acquaintances. Steve Gosnell for the defense said his client had entered a guilty plea to an offense committed 17 months previously. He stated that Rose was now in steady employment and had clearly moved forward with his life. He described Rose as a polite young man who understood his actions and had a dependency on cannabis at the time, and was ashamed to be in this situation.

As part of the community order, Rose was ordered to complete 100 hours of unpaid work.