Harwich youth volunteer sentenced for drug offences

Danee Stanford, who set up the youth club Yootz at Harwich in 2018, appeared in Chelmsford Crown Court on Tuesday for two drugs offences.

The court heard how Stanford, 47, was approached by police while he was smoking a cannabis joint and “looked nervous” as they came towards him.

Stanford, of Brooklyn Road, Harwich, tried to run away from the police but was caught before he then told officers officers he had 1.5kg of cannabis in the back of his car.

Admitted – Stanford admitted two drugs charges and was sentenced in Chelmsford on Tuesday (Image: Daniel Rees, Newsquest)

Police also searched Stanford's property, where they found a tub of amphetamines.

Stanford later admitted one charge of possession of cannabis with intent to supply and one charge of possession of amphetamine.

Olivia Rawlings, mitigating, told the court how Stanford is a community volunteer and only had limited awareness and understanding of the drug operation.

She said: “He helps in his community by helping clean up rubbish and gardening, and things like that.

“He had incredibly limited involvement for an incredibly limited period of time – he didn’t have any financial gain save for paying off the debt accrued by his cannabis habit.

“He has two dogs and is willing and able to engage in probation – he doesn’t want something like this to happen again.”

The court also heard how Stanford had drugs convictions dating back to 1997, when he was convicted of cannabis possession.

His most recent conviction came in 2016 when he was admitted possession with intent to supply amphetamine.

Previous – the court heard how Stanford had previous drugs convictions dating back to 1997 (Image: Newsquest)

Although Stanford claimed to have Aspergers syndrome, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder, His Honour Judge Sawyer said he had “not seen any medical evidence of that” at Tuesday’s hearing.

He said: “Your offending is so serious I cannot fine you this afternoon.”

Stanford was sentenced to a one-year community order with 50 days of rehabilitation activity, as well as 150 hours of unpaid work.

He concluded: “If you are brought back to this court, you could be fined and the conditions could be made more onerous.”