Crawley heroin addict thanks judge for chance to kick his drug habit

A Crawley heroin addict who was jailed after he was spotted passing drugs to a fellow user thanked top judges as they gave him a chance to beat his habit.
By The Newsroom
Published 27th Jan 2016, 16:36 BST
Updated 27th Jan 2016, 16:54 BST

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Abrazak Ghalghal, 39, was sentenced to 16 months’ jail in November after he admitted supplying cocaine and heroin to the friend.

But he was released today Wednesday (January 27) to begin drug treatment - when Court of Appeal judges suspended his sentence.

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Mr Justice Edis said Ghalghal, of Framfield Close, had not made money from supplying the drugs and ordered his release.

‘Thankyou very much, your honour,’ Ghalghal said as he was led out of court to begin his fight against addiction.

The court heard he was arrested in September 2014 after he was seen passing four wraps - two of cocaine and two of heroin - to a friend.

He said he had purchased the drugs and was giving the friend his share when he was collared.

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He was sentenced on the basis he was a prolific offender who was in ‘disarray’ and ‘out of control’.

However, his lawyers argued today that he should not have been jailed.

Although he was a drug addict with some convictions for having narcotics, he had no previous convictions for Class A drug offending.

Giving judgment, Mr Justice Edis, sitting in London with Mrs Justice Thirlwall, said Ghalghal was not a commercial drug dealer.

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‘This sort of supply is not done for financial gain,’ said Mr Justice Edis.

‘This was not street dealing. He did not sell to anyone.’

He cut Ghalghal’s sentence to 12 months and suspended it for two years.

He also imposed a string of requirements which will help the addict stay off drugs.

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