Middlesbrough dad who turned to dealing after racking up debt caught with £8,500 worth of cocaine

A drug addicted dad was caught with thousands of pounds worth of cocaine after a police stop and search.

Middlesbrough's John Pink is starting a lengthy 44-month prison sentence following an incident in South Bank. Teesside Crown Court heard on February 2, Cleveland Police officers spotted a black Ford Focus being driven "suspiciously" by the defendant's father and pulled the vehicle over.

Pink - who was in the passenger seat - was found with cocaine, cannabis and £1,000 cash. He was arrested while his father was released after no further drugs were found.

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The court heard raids were then carried out at both his and parents' houses which uncovered further class A drugs. The defendant confirmed the cocaine belonged him.

Pink, 27, has 15 previous convictions for 33 offences which include possession of drugs. The court heard despite his "bad record" he made full admissions in interview and provided police with a full honest account.

He told police that he became addicted to drugs - and fell into debt with his suppliers - and began to deal for them. In mitigation, the court heard the defendant has a "decent work ethic" and admitted possession with intent to supply cocaine.

Addressing the defendant, Judge Richard Bennett said: "There was a fairly substantial amount of cocaine in your case with a total value of £8,500. It is perhaps sad and tragic that you have fallen prey to drug addiction which has led you to commit these offences."

He was handed a 44-month prison sentence.

But it isn't the first time Teesside Live has reported on Pink. The Hollowfield, Coulby Newham, defendant was jailed in 2022 after he was caught driving with no insurance and refusing to carry out a breath test.

Pink - then 25 - was pulled over in his VW Golf in Stockton on April 12, after police saw that he had no insurance. Officers reported that Pink smelled of cannabis but when he was asked to carry out a roadside drugs test, he refused. Then, weeks later, Pink was then caught looking intoxicated behind the wheel of a Vauxhall Astra, with two other passengers in his car.

Prosecutor Christopher Bevan told Teesside Crown Court that when police pulled him over his "speech was slurred and he had glazed eyes." He was arrested and taken to the police station, but refused to provide a blood sample for his alcohol and drug levels to be checked.

The judge handed Pink a 12-month prison term and banned him from driving for three-years-and-six-months.

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