'You have let your family down': Sickening haul police found in back of 'hard-working' man's BMW

A ‘hard-working man’ was caught with a ‘drug dealers kit’ following a raid at his house before police found a gun, a silencer and drugs in his BMW parked outside. Jake Hartley, 28, was also found with a kilogram of cannabis, cocaine and Taurine - which is used as a cutting agent.

The handgun, a Walther P99, was found to be in working order, alongside 18 rounds of ammunition. He also had a knuckle duster and baton concealed in the boot of his car, Minshull Street Crown Court heard.

After pleading guilty to a raft of offences, Hartley was jailed for over seven years.

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Prosecuting, Lisa Boocock said that in the early hours of January 20 this year, police attended at Hartley’s home in Hollingworth. They searched his bedroom and then his BMW which was parked outside and was unlocked.

“They found three sets of scales with various traces of drugs on them, as well as snap bags and a block of Taurine, which weighed around 769 grams. Taurine is used as a cutting agent,” Ms Boocock said.

“There was also a vacuum pack of one kilogram of cannabis. In the car boot, officers found 91 grams of cocaine at a purity of 32%. The total value of the drugs was £20,000.”

Officers also found a baton, a knuckle duster, and a Walther P99 self loading pistol, as well as a silencer and 18 rounds of ammunition. The gun was test fired and found to be in working order.

Hartley’s DNA was found on the handgun, it was said. Prosecutors said the items were a ‘drug dealers kit’, and Hartley must have known this as he handled them personally.

He originally claimed he was given a package and was unaware of its contents - a defence he didn’t