Drug dealer jailed for eight years after being caught twice dealing from taxis
- Perry Richardson
- 1 hour ago
- 2 min read
A Nottingham drug dealer has been jailed for eight years after police twice caught him travelling by taxi while carrying significant quantities of Class A drugs, including while he was already subject to a suspended prison sentence.
David Banton, 60, appeared at Nottingham Crown Court on Thursday 15 January, where he was sentenced after admitting multiple drug offences. The court heard that Banton had continued dealing despite being warned by a judge that further offending would almost certainly result in imprisonment.
The case followed an earlier conviction in November 2023, when Banton received a two-year prison sentence suspended for two years. On that occasion, police officers discovered heroin and cocaine with an estimated street value of £30,000 in his pockets after stopping a taxi he had entered moments after carrying out a drug deal in Bentick Road, Forest Fields.
Sentencing the defendant at the time, the judge made clear that any further criminality would put Banton at immediate risk of custody. Despite that warning, he was again arrested just over a year later while travelling by taxi with Class A drugs.
Repeat offending while on a suspended sentence led to a lengthy prison term at Nottingham Crown Court
On 10 December 2024, a neighbourhood sergeant observed Banton and a woman entering a taxi in Station Street, Nottingham. Officers intervened after the woman appeared to be distressed, stopping the vehicle to carry out a welfare check.
Police checks revealed Banton had a long history of drug offending dating back to 2004, including a conviction for supplying crack cocaine to an undercover officer. Based on that background and the officers’ observations at the scene, Banton was removed from the taxi and searched.
During the search, officers found more than £600 in cash along with crack cocaine and heroin valued at around £2,000 concealed in his coat pockets. He was arrested at the scene and later charged with further drug offences.
At court, Banton pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply cocaine, possession with intent to supply heroin and possession of criminal property. The judge imposed an eight-year custodial sentence, bringing an end to a pattern of repeat offending that the court said showed a clear disregard for previous leniency.
The case again highlights how taxis can be used by organised and street-level drug dealers to move drugs and cash around cities, placing drivers at risk of becoming unwittingly involved in serious criminal activity.
Sergeant Jono Pothecary, who made the arrest and led the subsequent investigation, said: “Banton was given the chance to turn his life around following his suspended sentence in November 2023. However, instead of grasping that opportunity, he sadly returned to selling drugs.
“Banton clearly has a total disregard for the law and thought he was untouchable, and I am therefore pleased that the sentence imposed by the courts reflects the seriousness of his repeat offending.
“Tackling and preventing drug harm continues to be a priority for us, and we will continue to disrupt and stop people like Banton preying on some of the most vulnerable members of our communities and bringing misery to our streets.”
