North London graduate who turned to drug dealing swallowed cocaine and heroin before he was bitten by a police dog

A 25-year-old man from Islington has been sentenced to two years and four months in jail after pleading guilty to possession with intent to supply cocaine and heroin. Enyinnaya Ozuronye,25, described as an ‘intelligent’ graduate turned to drug dealing after he struggled to find work and didn’t want an ‘entry-level job’, was bitten by a police dog after swallowing wraps of cocaine and heroin when he’d been caught by police. He had been pulled over by officers in Moston, Manchester due to the ‘manner of his driving’ and then tried to run off from the officers and swallowed wraps of drugs containing heroin and cocaine, but was chased and bitten on the arm by the dog.

Ozuronye was bitten by a police dog and taken to hospital when caught, he was found to have £525 in cash and about £650 worth of cocaine and heroin.

The incident was on January 24 last year when he admitted to drug dealing in the Salford area. He was released under investigation by GMP and went on to be jailed for three years for ‘similar’ offenses in Exeter before he was dealt with for the Moston incident.

Hitting out at ‘extraordinary’ delays in the case, a judge said: “It has not escaped my notice that had you been dealt with promptly and diligently by the authorities in this city, you would not have been at liberty to commit the Exeter offense.”

He appeared in court about a year-and-a-half after he was stopped in Moston.”What it was they (GMP) were investigating in that 18 month period remains a mystery to me,” the judge added. Manchester Crown Court heard Ozuruonye is a university graduate and was described as having ‘considerable potential.”That potential seems to have turned to dust as a consequence of two serious errors of judgment,” Judge Patrick Field QC said.

“What led an intelligent young man, well qualified, who was looking forward to a long and successful career as a professional, to become involved in drug dealing?

“Well, I suspect Mr. Ozuruonye, you are the only person who knows the answer to that.”

Defending, Paul Bryning said Ozuruonye had difficulties finding ‘meaningful employment’ after graduating with his degree. Mr. Bryning said: “He didn’t want to accept perhaps an entry-level job, he wanted to start a proper career.”The court heard Ozuruonye admitted he’d made ‘two massive mistakes’ which led to the ‘worst six months of his life”.

Author: Andrew Collins

andrewc@gmail.com

London, UK