A man has been jailed after being caught with heroin and crack cocaine in Horsham – where police later found a toddler alone in a dangerous flat filled with drugs and weapons.
Shamel Sudeene-Darien, 27, formerly of Penge, London, was stopped by officers in Horsham town centre on January 20. He was found with wraps of suspected class A drugs, a burner phone, and a screwdriver.
At Lewes Crown Court on March 11, he was sentenced to three years in prison.
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Speaking after the case, Detective Inspector Rebecca Hopkins said: “Officers carried out a search under the Misuse of Drugs Act, and found evidence that Sudeene-Darien was working as part of a County Lines drugs group in Horsham.
“The further search was concerning because a toddler in his care had been left alone in a rented address.
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“There were hazards in the address which included access to an unlocked rooftop balcony, uncovered electrical sockets, and loose wires from a television and lamp.
“Most worryingly, there were also wraps of class A drugs in the property that would be easily swallowable for a young child.
“There was no accessible food or water for the child, overall it was not a safe place for the child to be in.
“Officers acted professionally to ensure the child was appropriately safeguarded while Sudeene-Darien was in custody.
“This case shows our determination to disrupt County Lines drugs groups who cause harm in our communities.
“We are pleased that because of our investigation, Sudeene-Darien had no choice but to plead guilty when presented with the evidence in court.”
