Former Leeds soldier with PTSD medicated with cannabis and turned to dealing to feed habit
A former soldier was caught selling cannabis in Leeds, claiming he did it to feed his own habit and help his mental health.
Liam Johnson was in his car in the Hyde Park area when officers pulled him over in June of 2020, Leeds Crown Court heard this week.
With a strong smell of cannabis coming from the white Seat Leon, they searched the vehicle and found 18 bags of cannabis worth £340, £250 in cash and mobile phones.
One contained messages which clearly pointed to dealing.
Having been arrested and taken to the station, he was also found to have a small wrap of cocaine in his wallet.
Johnson, of Ridge Court, Leeds, has no previous convictions, prosecutor Daniel Ingham told the court.
The 28-year-old admitted dealing in Class B drugs and possession of Class A drugs.
Mitigating, Louise Willocx said Johnson had joined the Army at 16 and had been traumatised by what he witnessed and that many of his friends had taken their own lives.
She said he was left with PTSD and depression, and self-medicated with cannabis, developing an addiction.
She said he had built up a drug debt and began to sell the drugs to pay it off and feed his habit.
Ms Willocx called it an “error of judgement”.
Judge Kate Rayfield told Johnson that skunk cannabis “never” assists with mental health issues or trauma and concluded: “It’s very far from harmless.”
She gave him an eight-month sentence, suspended for 18 months, with 150 hours of unpaid work to complete.