Drug dealer who used his three-year-old daughter as 'smokescreen' gets eight years
A drug dealer who was caught carrying £185,000 of cocaine while on a day out with his daughter in England has been jailed, police there have said.
Carl Brookes, 31, was arrested as he left Five Ways railway station in Birmingham with his three-year-old daughter on April 14.
Officers found a kilogram (2.2lbs) of compressed cocaine at 93% purity in a drawstring bag which he was carrying.
An industrial press containing traces of cocaine was also found at his address in Aqueduct Lane, Alvechurch.
West Midlands Police said Brookes pleaded guilty to possession of a Class A drug with intent to supply and jailed for eight years and seven months at Birmingham Crown Court on Thursday.
Detective Constable Phil Caldwell, from the Serious and Organised Crime Unit, said: "Brookes clearly used his daughter as a smokescreen to deflect attention from his criminal activity.
"It's abhorrent that he should use a young child in such a way and I am pleased that he will be spending time behind bars to reflect on his actions.
"We will not tolerate drug dealing and the associated criminality and anti-social behaviour it brings to our communities."
