Owls’ supporter planned to sell drugs to fans at Imps’ game

A football fan was stopped outside an away game with a stash of cocaine he planned to sell to his fellow supporters, Lincoln Crown Court was told.

Police were alerted by a CCTV operator to a VW Scirocco which attracted attention as it was driven through Lincoln city centre in the early evening of Friday, July 13, 2018.

Andrew Scott, prosecuting, said the car was followed by police to the Playzone car park next to Lincoln City’s Sincil Bank Stadium.

Bradley Bramall, who was on his way to watch Sheffield Wednesday play a pre-season friendly against the Imps, was spoken to and then the vehicle was searched.

Mr Scott said: “The officer noticed four bags of powder on the passenger seat. Each contained 0.5gs of cocaine.

“The defendant was asked to step out of his vehicle and a search was undertaken.”

A total of 11 bags of cocaine packaged into 0.5g deals were found in the glove compartment together with a bag containing 3.47gs of loose cocaine.

Two more bags of cocaine were found inside a wallet. The drugs had a total street value of between £550 and £1,000.

Mr Scott said that a mobile phone was taken from Bramall and messages found on it indicated he was involved in selling cocaine.

The prosecutor added: “The defendant is a Sheffield Wednesday supporter and had travelled to Lincoln to watch his team. In summary he was selling to fans connected to the football scene.”

Bramall, 25, of Church View, Killamarsh, Derbyshire, admitted possession of cocaine with intent to supply on July 13, 2018 and a further charge of supplying cocaine between July 2017 and July 2018. He was jailed for three years.

Joy Merriam, in mitigation, said: “He was supplying to a friendship group primarily of Sheffield Wednesday supporters.

“He had a substantial cocaine habit at the time. Whilst he received a financial benefit from his dealing that went to fund his cocaine habit.”

She told the court that Bramall’s use of cocaine resulted in him being admitted to hospital with brain damage and he now no longer takes the drug.

“He lives at home with his parents and requires a great deal of support. Were he to be imprisoned it would be significantly worse for him than for somebody in good health because he requires significant support from his family.

Miss Merriam said that Bramall had no previous convictions for drug offences and urged that any prison sentence should be suspended.

Recorder Simon King, passing sentence, told Bramall: “You have accepted that you intended to supply drugs to people within what is described as your friendship group. I think it is accepted that could be as large as 20 or 30 people.

“It is clear from the circumstances that this was not a one-off. This is something that at the time played a part in your life.

“People who supply Class A drugs go to prison. There is no question about that. The Sentencing Council guidelines make it very clear.”