A Sheffield man who once appeared on Channel 5 show Traffic Cops has been jailed for dealing cocaine in Aberdeen on behalf of an organised crime gang.
Jerome Thompson was caged after DNA on a toothbrush helped snare the dealer who had been working with the Sheffield organised crime group known as “Pabs”.
Acting on intelligence, police in Aberdeen raided two properties, recovering cash and almost £12,000 of cocaine.
It comes after Thompson, 28, was jailed in England in 2019 for offences which featured in an episode of hit show Traffic Cops.
Fiscal depute Jane Spark told Aberdeen Sheriff Court: “During June 2023, police received intelligence that an organised crime group by the name of ‘Pabs’ was operating a county lines drug line from Sheffield to Aberdeen.”
‘Well aware of the seriousness of that decision’
At 11am on June 7, officers on Sheddocksley Drive spotted a front-seat passenger in a Renault Megane interacting with a “known drug user”.
Suspecting a drug deal had taken place, the police pulled the vehicle over and found Thompson was the passenger in question.
He was cautioned and detained for a search and found with £160 in his pocket.
A search of the vehicle uncovered a Nokia mobile phone and two keys in the passenger footwell.
Thompson was arrested and taken to Kittybrewster station.
Further intelligence indicated the “Pabs” group was using addresses on Nigg Kirk Road and Gillespie Crescent for their drug operations.
From the Nigg Kirk Road property, officers recovered £2,655 in cash.
And from the Gillespie Crescent one, they found crack cocaine worth up to £11,900.
They also found a pan on the hob with traces of cocaine and benzocaine on it.
Thompson’s DNA was found on a toothbrush in the address and a bank card in his name was discovered too.
The Nokia phone recovered from the car belonged to Thompson and contained messages referring to the Pabs group by name and offering drugs for sale.
Thompson, of Oakley Road, Sheffield, pled guilty to being concerned in the supply of cocaine.
Defence agent Patrick Brechany said: “He tells me he became involved in this due to a debt that had been accrued by his brother.
“The group involved contacted his brother and advised him what was required.”
Mr Brechany explained that Thompson volunteered to deal with the matter because he was unemployed and his brother had a young child.
He went on: “Essentially it was his initiative to take himself up to Scotland in order to carry out the work for the group.
“He obviously deeply regrets that decision and is now well aware of the seriousness of that decision and the impact that it’s likely to have on his immediate family as well as the community at large.”
The solicitor said Thompson had been struggling with his mental health at the time of the offences. He also had an issue with alcohol and cocaine.
Mr Brechany said: “In my submission, there is an alternative to a custodial sentence with a hefty amount of unpaid work along with supervision.
“Since his arrest he has taken significant steps to adhere to a prosocial lifestyle.
‘You involved yourself fully in that damaging trade’
“He’s converted to Islam in the intervening period and that has also given him extra stability.”
The court also heard Thompson had a previous conviction for, among other things, possession of drugs with intent to supply in 2019.
That conviction, which resulted in a 21-month prison sentence in England, related to an incident which featured in an episode of Traffic Cops on Channel 5.
Sheriff Andrew Miller told Thompson: “Having regard to your previous conviction in 2019, you would have been well aware of the significant nature of the decision you apparently took to travel to Aberdeen to deal class A drugs.”
The sheriff highlighted the “appalling” impact of drugs on individuals, families and entire communities.
He went on: “By taking the decision to travel from Sheffield to Aberdeen to deal class A drugs, you involved yourself fully in that damaging trade.”
He jailed Thompson, whose partner and mother in the public gallery began to weep, for 31 months.
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