Leeds man jailed after his mum told police that crack cocaine found in Holbeck home was his

Brendan Marshall, 30, and his mother Linda Marshall were both due to be sentenced at Leeds Crown Court this morning (Friday) for two counts of possession with intent to sell crack cocaine and one count of possession of cannabis, with a total street value of over £12,000. However, the prosecution informed the judge just before the hearing that the charges against Linda Marshall would remain on file.

The court heard that police carried out a search warrant at a flat on Woodbridge Garth in Kirkstall on April 1, 2020, and found Linda Marshall there. Before searching the flat and without being prompted, Linda showed police a bag in the living room and said that it contained crack cocaine. She was then arrested and told police that the drugs were left by “some dangerous people” who she refused to name.

The bag also contained drug paraphernalia such as weighing scales, plastic bags, a “dealing list” and a mobile phone and further examination found that Brendan Marshall’s fingerprints were on the bag, which included 55 grams of crack cocaine.

For the prosecution, Bashir Ahmed said that police went to Brendan Marshall’s address on Recreation Mount in Holbeck on March 11, 2021, and again found his mum present without him there. Police then searched the property and found a large bag of cannabis and more crack cocaine.

Mr Ahmed said: “Linda was arrested and said she knew nothing of the items seized and said they must’ve belonged to the defendant.”

In interview, Brendan Marshall said that the cannabis was for recreational use but said the crack cocaine had “nothing to do with him”. He initially pleaded not guilty to the charges but said “if there was scope for sympathy towards his mother he would revisit his pleas”. He pleaded guilty on January 5 this year.

In mitigation the court heard that Brendan Marshall had been addicted to cocaine when he was 21. Brendan Marshall had told the probation officer that – in relation to the crack cocaine – he had been “made an offer he couldn’t refuse”. He said that he had sold the drugs “not for gain” but because “he was afraid of” those who had sold them to him.

Defence counsel Anthony Sugare added that at the time of the offences Brendan Marshall was not in work and was addicted to cannabis, but added that he has been in full time employment for a construction company since the charges and was “putting everything behind him”. A letter was also provided to the judge from Brendan’s employer and he was “clearly highly thought of”.

Sentencing Brendan Marshall, Judge Clark said: “There may have been some question of you doing this to sort out your own drug use.”

He sentenced Brendan Marshall to three years and nine months in custody and ordered the forfeiture and destruction of all of the drugs that were seized.