22-07-2025
Cumbrian dad 'saw there was a market' for cannabis and 'went for it'
A DETERMINED Penrith cannabis dealer caught twice in a year told police of the illegal activity: 'I saw there was a market and I went for it.'
Officers first executed a warrant at Aron Underwood's Crocus Avenue home on June 19, 2024. On that occasion cannabis, digital scales and £1,035 cash were recovered.
Underwood, now 49, was released by police under investigation pending forensic examination of the items seized.
Less than 12 months later, on May 14 this year, officers were back at his door with another warrant.
'The same was found again: cannabis, phones, digital scales,' prosecutor Brendan Burke told Carlisle Crown Court. 'So he had just returned to business with what was probably less than a 24-hour interruption back in June '24.'
During one of the police visits, an incoming message flashed up on a phone at Underwood's address. It read: 'Could I also get another 10 bag?'
A drugs expert reported that the weight of cannabis found on the two dates totalled just over 4.5 kilos. This was potentially worth tens of thousands of pounds.
Underwood told police he was a former heroin addict, didn't drink alcohol and said of his latter day cannabis dealing: 'I'm not going to lie to you. I saw there was a market and I went for it. I would have been on your radar for a while, have I?'
When brought to court, Underwood admitted two charges of possessing class B cannabis with intent to supply.
Defence solicitor Jeff Smith spoke of Underwood's difficult childhood and transition from cannabis to heroin use. The court heard he had two past convictions for class A drug-dealing — receiving, most recently, a four-and-a-half year jail term — before a gap in his offending.
He continued to use cannabis.
Latterly he worked as a self-employed labourer, and was keen to retain his liberty to support his wife and two children. But Mr Smith accepted: 'He knows the continued supply of cannabis and the offending whilst on bail are matters that this court will take very seriously.
"He doesn't want to go to prison. He wants to make a more positive contribution to the community.'
Judge Michael Fanning imposed an immediate 27-month jail term.
'You should have learned your lesson when there was that raid in June last year. You should have learned your lesson when you last went to prison for drug-dealing. It is obvious that you didn't,' the judge told Underwood.
'It was a warning shot across your bows in June 2024, and you didn't take the warning shot to heart.'
