London drug dealers jailed after speeding in Southampton

Lascell McKenzie, 29, and Malik Fagan, 24, had made repeated visits to the city from their homes in London to deal drugs.

The pair were stopped in a Vauxhall on Redbridge Causeway on the morning of April 18.

Prosecuting, Alun Evans said they were thought to be speeding but when officers approached, they smelt cannabis.

Cannabis wraps were found in Fagan’s jacket, as well as in the footwell of the driver's seat and the front passenger seat.

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A Nokia phone and sim card showing block messages sent to drug addicts in Hampshire were also found.

The pair were arrested and interviewed but made no comment.

McKenzie, of Rogers Road, Dagenham pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine and heroin.

Fagan, of Willington Way, Tower Hamlets was convicted by a jury of the same charges having previously denied his involvement.

Southampton Crown Court heard he had travelled to the Southampton area 20 times, with five journeys taking place in the previous 10 months.

Redbridge Causeway (Image: Hampshire County Council)

The drugs line telephone was last used just 40 minutes before their arrest and had only been turned on when the pair were in Southampton.

Judge Christopher Parker said the defendants had been “making money out of the misery of other people” over a seven-week period in March and April this year.

He said they were doing this for “financial gain” and branded their actions “very depressing” because they are both “filled with potential”.

McKenzie, who has four previous convictions, was jailed for three years and three months.

Fagan, who has three previous convictions for four offences including supplying crack cocaine, was jailed for five years and six months.

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Mitigating, Robin Griffiths said there had been “significant gaps” in Fagan's offending and his client had previously worked as a fibre engineer.

He said Fagan is “not someone who relies on criminal activity to get himself by” and has “hope of rehabilitation”.

Meredoc McMinn, mitigating for McKenzie, said his client is “the lower end of some sort of organisational structure”, arguing that there doesn’t seem to have been “a great financial reward”.

The court heard how Fagan, who suffered two broken hands in an accident whilst on remand, intends to pursue a degree with the Open University whilst in custody.