Drug dealer 'forced into role' after racking up £4,000 debt

A COCAINE and cannabis seller, who had reinforced his front door and had a petrol bomb in his home, was forced into dealing, a court has heard.

- By Esther Halligan

Callum Thynne

Callum Thynne, 27, ran up a £4,000 drugs debt to dealers in Easington, County Durham, when he was in his early twenties.

Teesside Crown Court has heard that 'interest' was then applied to the debt and it increased to £15,500.

Thynne was contacted by a man called 'Geoff' who offered him work to repay the cash. On Monday, Thynne's barrister Caroline McGurk told the court that "it was made clear to him that there would be trouble if he did not agree".

Thynne now lives in Hartlepool, but on March 21, 2022, he was living on Barwick Street in Easington Colliery when police raided his home.

They found that the panels on his front door had been reinforced and that metal bolts had been fitted to the top and bottom of the door.

Inside, officers found cocaine, cannabis, a shoe box stuffed with £5,460 in cash, a samurai sword, a baseball bat and a petrol bomb.

Ian Mullarkey, prosecuting, read out texts from Thynne's phone. One read: "Have you got any widow, mate? Got 5g of dog left bro."