ANDERSON: DRUG DEALER STASHED CASH IN THE SOFA

A fugitive drug dealer who sat on huge profits he had hidden in his sofa was jailed for more than five years today (Tues).

Robert Anderson, 33, had absconded from prison where he was serving time for a similar offence when police caught him with around £65,000 worth of heroin and crack cocaine in a street swoop.

Officers raided the flat the Jamaican shared with 38-year-old carer and soldier’s wife Carleen Bryan and found dozens of pairs of designer shoes and sunglasses.

Bundles of cash totaling nearly £40,000 were uncovered all over the property, in Knollys Road, Streatham, southwest London, Inner London Crown Court heard.

James Lofthouse, prosecuting, said: ‘Drugs were found in various areas of the flat.

‘There were three large bundles of notes – £15,000 behind the sofa, £10,000 inside one sofa cushion, and £10,000 inside a cushion in the opposite sofa.

‘A roll of £500 or so was under clothes in the wardrobe.

‘Officers also noticed a number of high value goods including a flat screen television, 30 pairs of designer glasses, 15 pairs of designer shoes.’

A probe into Bryan’s finances revealed she had paid in and transferred to Jamaica a total of £175,000 between over four years from 2007.

Mr Lofthouse said the money ‘far exceeds her gross income’ working with vulnerable adults at Care Tech.

Anderson was cornered at around midday on April 6, this year, just outside the property, said the prosecutor.

He added: ‘He was wanted because he had absconded from a four-and-a-half year sentence he was given in 2003, for possession with intent to supply class A drugs.

‘He was on day release from prison and absconded.

‘He was stopped and he gave a false name.

‘He was searched and found in possession of a holdall.

‘Inside were bags containing substantial quantities of crack cocaine and heroin.

‘He said he was delivering them to someone.

‘He was asked which flat he had come from and gave a wrong number.

‘He was told police would knock on every door until they found the right one and he gave the correct number.

Bryan handed herself in to police on April 12.

The court heard father-of-three Anderson came to Britain in his early 20s and got into drugs despite coming here to apparently further his carpentry career.

He has a partner who is not Bryan, the court heard.

Lalith De Kauwe, defending Bryan, said: ‘She is Jamaican and came to the UK ten years ago.

‘She married a member of the British armed forces but they were separated due to his infidelity.

‘She was looking for someone to share the rent on her flat and Mr Anderson moved in.

‘She had no idea he had absconded from prison.

‘She suspected the money was from proceeds of crime but she turned a blind eye.

‘She understood this gentleman had two other ladies. People have what’s called baby mothers.

‘He was living in her home. There was a sexual relationship. It meant nothing to Mr Anderson.’

Jailing Bryan for 18 months, Judge Mark Bishop said he did not believe her claim she did not know the money was from drugs.

Turning to bespectacled  Anderson, he said: ‘You must understand that people who trade in drugs are trading in other people’s degradation and death and for that reason the courts take these offences very seriously.

‘I also note the possession of electronic scales which makes it clear to me you were using this house as a place where you were organising your part in the operation.

‘You plainly have not learnt from that last sentence.’

The judge handed Anderson a 64 month sentence.

Anderson, of Knollys Road, Streatham, sw London, admitted possessing 285.59g of a substance containing diamorphine and a similar count of possessing 885.19g of a substance containing cocaine, both with intent to supply.

He further admitted possessing a false passport, and jointly with Bryan, of the same address, possessing criminal property.

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