Rugby chef of previous good character turned to drug dealing when work dried up over lockdown

But because of the time Jakub Pawlicki had already spent in custody on remand, he was due to be released straight away from his 12-month sentence.

Pawlicki (28) of no fixed address, and Marek Piedel (35) of Morton Gardens, Rugby, pleaded guilty at Warwick Crown Court to possessing amphetamine and cannabis with intent to supply them.

Prosecutor Graham Russell said that on April 30, during the Coronavirus lockdown, police officers became suspicious of a white Mitsubishi on the Asda car park in Rugby.

They correctly suspected the passenger Pawlicki and the driver Piedel, whose case has been adjourned until January, were involved in drug-dealing.

And when they stopped the car and challenged the two men, Piedel surrendered 12 wraps of cannabis weighing around 30 grams and worth £300.

Under the driver’s seat the officers then found 21 foil wraps of amphetamine weighing 11.98 grams, and they seized two phones from Piedel on which there were messages consistent with the supply of amphetamine and cannabis.

Pawlicki had a rucksack on the floor between his legs, and various quantities of the two drugs were found in it.

There was a jar containing 55 grams of amphetamine ‘cut’ with caffeine, a plastic bag containing foil wraps of the same mixture, and a further 48 grams of it in 36 packages in a plastic tub.

There was a separate bag with £174 in cash and another package of 4 grams of amphetamine, and a box containing 2.8 grams of cannabis.

The police also found lists of figures, cash values and names which Mr Russell said was ‘consistent with drug dealers’ lists,’ showing considerable activity from April 7 to April 29.

In a hidden compartment under the passenger seat was a knife with a four-inch blade, although Mr Russell pointed out that neither man had been charged in relation to it.

He added that Pawlicki, who said he was homeless at the time, but made no comment when he was interviewed, had no previous convictions in this country or in his native Poland.

John Brotherton, defending, said: “He is still a young man of previous good character, and he has been in custody since his arrest. So he has done the equivalent of 13 months, and my submission would be that he has served his time.”

Mr Brotherton explained that Pawlicki had come to Rugby from Poland early this year looking for work as a chef, but that work dried up as a result of the lockdown.

He was now ‘desperate to get back to Poland,’ where he has a new-born child he has not yet seen.

Sentencing Pawlicki, Judge Sylvia de Bertodano told him: “You are here for what happened on the 30th of April when you were dealing amphetamine and cannabis.

“That is clearly not what you came over here to do. You came over to work lawfully, but you were unable to do so because of the pandemic.

“But you know as well as I do that dealing drugs is not the answer. Because of that, you have spent over six months now in prison, as well as losing your good character.

“I am going to pass a sentence which results in you being released today.”