A county lines heroin dealer who was ruthlessly beaten by gangsters months after being caught supplying Class A drugs in Dundee has been ordered to complete unpaid work.
Merseyside dealer Joshua Pennington, 28, previously admitted supplying cocaine and heroin from a property in St Boswells Terrace in February 2020.
Pennington’s operation was only foiled when police attended, searching for a missing woman.
Just five months after being caught by police, Pennington was mown down and beaten with baseball bats by a gang of thugs in Liverpool.
Police raid
At a previous hearing at Dundee Sheriff Court, Depute fiscal Gavin Barton said: “Police were searching for a missing woman.
“They attended the locus. They began conversing with the woman who was behind the door.
“Police traced Pennington in the living room.
“He was detained and conveyed to police headquarters.
“He was searched and a black Nokia mobile phone was discovered, with £1,200 cash.
“He was arrested, cautioned and made no reply.”
A search was carried out at the property.
The prosecutor said: “Wraps containing a crystal substance and others with white powder were found, along with a set of weighing scales.
“Forensic scientist analysis discovered the crystal substance to be cocaine and the powder diamorphine (heroin).
“The accused’s DNA was found on packages of the drugs.
“Messages uncovered on the phone were consistent of messages selling drugs.”
More than £1,300 of cocaine was recovered and £120 of heroin, the fiscal depute added.
Weighty offences
Defence solicitor Billy Watt previously said his client suffered from ADHD and post-traumatic stress following a car accident.
He said he was “vulnerable” and lived with his grandparents near Liverpool.
Imposing the unpaid work order, Sheriff George Way said: “Obviously these are weighty offences.
“Mr Pennington has to understand it is a direct alternative to custody.
“If he was to come back, he could not expect anything else.
“This is on indictment.”
Pennington has a year to complete the work.
He has previously spent time in prison in England for imitation firearms offences as well as other dealing convictions.
Seriously injured in attack
In July 2020, Pennington was sent 20 feet into the air after being mown down in his hometown of Birkenhead, The Liverpool Echo reported.
Three gangsters, two of whom were masked and two who were armed, jumped out the car and brutally attacked Pennington.
Pennington suffered a broken arm, broken wrist, broken fingers, wounds and bruises to his head and a 3cm stab wound to his shin.
It is understood Pennington required surgery.
He told police he did not know why he had been attacked, would not recognise any of the men again and was too scared to come to court.
