A drug dealer arrested after he was seen selling crack cocaine and heroin in Warrington town centre pushed a police officer in a desperate attempt to get away.
Pranas Zaliauskis, who used both palms to push the constable away, was, however, grabbed by another officer and a struggle began, a court heard today. (Wed)
“One of the officers described feeling a number of strikes but just on his body armour. They felt like punches, “ said Ken Grant, prosecuting.
“The police continued to struggle with the defendant who apparently threw punches at them both. They ended up in the road with traffic passing close by. The officers both described feeling scared for their safety while trying to control the defendant.
“A screwdriver came out of his pocket onto the floor. He was detained and arrested,” said Mr Grant.
The 33-year-old was found to have £240 cash and in his backpack were multiple screwdrivers, a craft knife, scissors, nail clippers and a blue glove containing fragments of cannabis.
Liverpool Crown Court heard that 29 knotted bags of crack cocaine and nine bags of heroin, with a total street value of £380 were also found.
Mr Grant had told the judge how the defendant had been spotted on CCTV at 10 pm on June 27 last year in Warrington town centre apparently involved in drug dealing.
Zaliauskis, who was on a bicycle, was seen handing over a small bag of a white substance to another cyclist who apparently handed over cash to him. The police officers arrived at the scene in Liverpool Road and when they stopped him “he appeared jittery and nervous,” he said.
They took the view that he was under the influence of drugs and was trying to squeeze something into his pocket. He denied having anything with him that could harm them but then pulled his arm away from an officer and pushed him away.
After his detention he was later interviewed and in a prepared statement denied being a drug dealer and said the drugs were for his own use. He said he was “a hoarder” which was why he had the items in his backpack.
In a statement from the arresting officers, they commented that the Lithuanian “had complete disregard for our safety. It could have resulted in serious injuries.”
Zaliauskis, of Lovely Lane, Bewsey and Whitecross, pleaded guilty to two offences of possessing drugs with intent to supply, obstructing the police, possessing a knife and assaulting an emergency worker. He was jailed for three years.
Jim Smith, defending, said the defendant has no previous convictions and was dependent on Class A drugs but had been seeking help with his addiction.
He said that the quantity of drugs recovered was consistent with low-level dealing to support his own habit.
“He came to the UK from Lithuania to improve his chances of employment. Unfortunately, since his mother’s death in 2019 he has been dependent on drugs. It acted as a catalyst for the decline in his well being and mental health.
“She was the glue of the family and he took her loss extremely badly.”
Mr Smith said his client was not suitable for a drug rehabilitation requirement “because of his ongoing drug problems and lack of strength of character to take part in such a restrictive programme. He hopes to come off drugs while incarcerated.”
1 Comment
Plenty of people lose their parents, but they don’t become involved with drugs and drug dealing!