Drugs charges against Bromsgrove teenager dropped (From Bromsgrove Advertiser)

Drugs charges against Bromsgrove teenager dropped

1:10pm Tuesday 30th October 2012 in News

CHARGES against a teenager accused of possessing Class A drugs with intent to supply have been dropped, because papers to commit the case to crown court were not available.

Nineteen-year-old Jordan Daniel Sears, of Bishop Hall Crescent, Bromsgrove, appeared before Nuneaton magistrates and was expecting committal proceedings to take place.

He is alleged to have possessed a quantity of crack cocaine, with intent to supply, and to have possessed diamorphine – also known as heroin - at Rugby in Warwickshire on July 2.

At an earlier hearing, when the case was adjourned, prosecutor Colin Heald said the Crown submitted that the case was not suitable for summary trial.

Magistrates declined jurisdiction and granted Sears conditional bail pending preparation of committal papers.

At the resumed hearing, held on October 25, Mr Heald asked the bench to adjourn the case because committal papers had not been prepared.

But on behalf of Sears solicitor Julia Powell invited magistrates to discharge the matter.

“Not only should papers have been served a week ago they are not ready today,” she said.

“It is not good enough.

“I invite you to say that the matter should be discharged today. That does not prevent the CPS re-charging my client when they get their house in order.”

Presiding magistrate Clive Parsons told Sears: “We accept the defence’s point that these papers should have been prepared, therefore we are discharging the matter today.

“You are free to go today but the matter may be taken up again.”

Sears had not indicated pleas.