Mar 25 - Cocaine Dealer Jailed For Seven Years And Eight Months
A local cocaine dealer who was caught by police on two separate occasions within three months has received a lengthy prison sentence.
Ernest Ullger, 46, was this morning jailed for seven years and eight months after having pleaded guilty to possession and possession with intent to supply 45.5g and 20.9g of cocaine. He also admitted to injuring a police officer while he tried to resist arrest in January after a car chase which ended on Sir Herbert Miles Road.
Senior Crown Counsel, Robert Fischel QC, told the Supreme Court that Ullger was approached by Drug Squad officers on the 3rd October last year after he had been observed behaving suspiciously in Laguna Estate whilst sat in a white Suzuki van.
A search of his vehicle discovered 46 wrappers containing a 45.5g of cocaine with an estimated street value of £2,600. He was subsequently arrested and charged.
While he was on bail for this first offence, Ullger came under suspicion again on the 23rd January this year when Drug Squad officers, who were stationed in an unmarked car, observed him braking and reversing out of the Landport ditch car park.
Drug Squad officers chased Ullger’s white van from Landport to the Caleta Hotel. During an attempt to slow him down, Ullger swerved and collided with the police car. When a police officer tried to enter Ullger’s car by leaning out of the window to climb into his van, Ullger accelerated, dragging the officer along the road for 10 meters.
The officer managed to withdraw the key from the ignition but sustained bruising to his side and legs. At this point, Ullger was observed attempting to dispose of a large wrapper which was later found to contain 20 smaller wrappers with 20.9g of cocaine. Ullger also had £1,480 and €425 in cash on him.
Ullger was arrested at the scene and later charged with possession, possession with intent to supply and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
The Crown indicated that bank accounts belonging to the defendant would also be investigated in the near future with a view to imposing a confiscation order should there be evidence of financial benefit relating to the sale of drugs.
Chris Miles, representing the defendant, said that his client sold drugs to fund what he called a “longstanding and serious drug addiction.” He said that he was a “pleasant, decent man” who had started attending Narcotics Anonymous meetings in prison to address his drug problem. He stressed that Ullger was “particularly sorry” for injuring the police officer and had promised to personally apologise for any harm caused.
In sentencing, Puisne Judge Karen Prescott noted that Ullger was in the grip of an “unmanageable” drug habit but that he had also benefitted financially from the sale of cocaine. She said that his role in the drug supply chain was “significant”.
She sentenced him to a total of seven years and eight months for the cocaine offences and the assault on the police officer and ordered that the drugs be destroyed.
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