Dealer threatened disabled man at knifepoint in attempt to sell heroin and cocaine from his home

Ben Fortune, 18, of Brickly Road, Luton, approached the house of his victim, a wheelchair user, in St Neots and forced his way inside on 16 February.

The court heard the victim repeatedly asked Fortune to leave, but he responded by taking a knife from the kitchen and saying ‘Is that how this is going to be?’

However, Fortune plugged his phone into a charger and went to the toilet, giving the victim a chance to hide and call the police.

Whilst the victim took cover in another room, he heard Fortune receive a number of phone calls as several people visited the property.

As officers arrived at the scene, Fortune attempted to flee but was caught in the back garden of the property.

A strip search revealed a small quantity of heroin in Fortune’s trouser bottoms. Whilst in custody, a further 124 wraps of cocaine were discovered that had been concealed by Fortune, bringing the total value of drugs seized to more than £1,250.

Fortune was sentenced to three years in a young offenders institution today at Peterborough Crown Court after pleading guilty to common assault, possession of cannabis and possession of heroin and cocaine with intent to supply.

DC Lisa Bacon said: “This man deliberately targeted a vulnerable adult in order to sell class A drugs. He used threatening tactics to intimidate his victim, which has understandably left him shaken.

“This sentence will send a message to others planning to come to Cambridgeshire to sell drugs. We have a zero tolerance policy on tackling county lines drug dealers.”