Last updated 10:38, Saturday, 04 October 2008

A convicted drug-dealer who buried his stash in a west Cumbrian wood has been ordered to repay over £60,000.

David Millican, of Dalton Street, Cockermouth, was jailed for five years in April after pleading guilty to possession of cocaine with intent to supply.

And, after a hearing under the Proceeds of Crime Act at Carlisle Crown Court, Judge Paul Batty QC told Millican that “the Draconian provisions of this act will bite”.

Despite four drug stashes being found during the police operation, prosecutor Tim Evans said that the Crown was seeking payment for just two that Millican had proved an involvement with.

The wholesale value of these drugs was found to be £59,066.

In mitigation defence barrister David Mark urged Judge Batty to consider the fact that Millican was relatively young and that whatever order was made “would follow him for the rest of his life”.

He said that his client “does not appear to have any benefit” from his crime and “wants to start his own business, start a family and buy a house” on his release from jail.

But Judge Batty said: “The whole ethos of this law is that it acts a deterrent to all those who get involved in drugs.

“They should know that in this county and beyond they will be pursued by the police.
“Crime will not pay.”

He said he was utterly unpersuaded that Millican should not be treated in the normal manner and added: “The Draconian provisions of this act will bite as far as David Millican is concerned.”

Millican was arrested as part of Operation Austere, which targeted the supply of cocaine in the west of the county and saw drugs with a street value of £205,000 seized by police.

Millican’s £170,000 cocaine stash was uncovered by police searching the wood off Crag Road near Great Broughton in May 2007.

He was ordered yesterday by the judge to pay £61,295.81. and was found to have realisable assets of £1010.80.