Drug dealer receives suspended jail term under new sentencing guidelines

TWO drug dealers who repeatedly sold cocaine to undercover detectives have walked free from court because of new sentencing guidelines.

Wadih Nasrallah, 39, of Kilburn Park Road, Kilburn, and Jeanclaude Khoury, 43, from Richmond, avoided jail because the amount of drugs the Lebanese refugees sold to the cops kept them in the ‘low level’ offending bracket.

Despite Khoury previously serving a seven-year sentence for supplying class A drugs he was given a residential rehabilitation order.

Southwark Crown Court heard he is a heavy drug user who dealt to pay off his debts.

Nasrallah was given a 10-month prison sentence, suspended for two years with 200 hours of unpaid work after he claimed he was merely helping out his compatriot as a favour, and was not otherwise involved with illegal drugs.

The pair met with undercover officers at celebrity nightclub China white and over six months sold them cocaine with a purity of up to 63 per cent for around �120 each time.

They admitted conspiracy to supply �1,500 worth of class A drugs which was �500 short of elevating them to the next ‘offending level’ and possible jail.

Under the Sentencing Council’s proposals those playing a ‘subordinate’ role in a criminal gang could be set free - even if they sell deadly drugs worth up to �2,000.

Passing sentence, Judge Anthony Leonard, QC, said: “You were there, ready, willing and able to supply through (your contact) at the Chinawhite club.

“You could have been bringing untold misery in terms of a life of addiction to cocaine (to you customers). You, Khoury, should have known what that meant.”

The judge said he accepted that there Nasrallah had ‘no financial motivation’ for his dealing, but had taken ‘a misguided decision to support your friend’.