Northampton man imprisoned after being found with drugs in vulnerable woman’s home

A Northampton man has been sentenced to 36 months imprisonment after police found him with large quantities of Class A drugs at the home of a vulnerable woman and then again at a homeless shelter.

Connor Eagers, aged 19, previously of Allard Close in Rectory Farm, appeared at Northampton Crown Court on Monday, July 4 after pleading guilty to four counts of possession of Class A drugs with intent to supply and possession of criminal property.

The court heard that - on August 24, 2021 - police attended a flat in Greenwood Road, Northampton to check on a vulnerable woman who had previously been the victim of ‘cuckooing’ - an offence where a person’s home is taken over to become a base for illegal drug dealing.

Sebastian Walker, prosecuting, said that it became clear to officers there were other people at the address so they forced entry before finding Eagers with another male inside the property. Apparatus - including weighing scales and bags - were seized, the vulnerable woman was found in her bedroom looking “scared” and she told officers she did not want those men in her home.

The court heard that Eagers was released by police and given a warning but he returned to the address to attempt to recover a bag that contained around 186 wraps of crack cocaine and four wraps of heroin. He was, again, apprehended by police.

Mr Walker said that Eagers denied the bag was his but then, during his arrest, he was heard saying, “I am ****** aren’t I, you boys got me,” to the police.

The court heard that Eagers gave a no comment interview to police and then, in a second interview, told officers he was a recreational drug user and his habit got out of control and he wound up in debt. He also claimed the vulnerable woman was part of the operation and she was not forced or pressured into it.

Mr Walker added that - on November 1, 2021 - police attended a homeless shelter following reports of cannabis being smoked at the property.

Eagers was then seen fleeing from the rear of the shelter and police gave chase, the court heard. Eagers discarded a bag during the pursuit, which was recovered by a police dog and found to contain quantities of heroin and crack cocaine with an estimated street value of more than £122,000. He was additionally found with £340 in cash.

The court heard that Eagers gave a no comment interview in relation to this second matter.

William Forber-Heyward, in mitigation, told the court to take into account Eagers’ age as he was 18 at the time of the first offence and 19 at the time of the second. He added that Eagers pleaded guilty at the first opportunity and has no previous convictions.

The defence barrister said that Eagers accepts he continued to offend with criminal peers because he was indebted to them for drugs he had lost.

The court heard that Eagers formerly smoked cannabis on a daily basis but, since being placed in custody in November 2021, he stopped using cannabis and has attended courses on substance awareness.

Mr Forber-Heyward claimed that Eagers, having started using drugs at the age of 15, was “involved through coercion and exploitation”.

Her Honour Judge Adrienne Lucking, however, disagreed.

Sentencing the defendant, she said: “You were part of a small group of young people who carried out a significant role in terms of dealing. You were operating under inevitable pressure from those above you in the chain but there was no suggestion you were coerced as such.

“You were in the property of a very vulnerable person and she was scared in that property.”

Judge Lucking, considering that Eagers had stopped using drugs and was using his time in custody to attend relevant courses, added: “You are truly remorseful and embarrassed with your involvement in the offending.”

Eagers was sentenced to 35 months imprisonment for all counts of possessing Class A drugs with intent to supply and a further one month imprisonment for possession of criminal property to be served concurrently.