A DRUG dealer who “had a loving family” has been put behind bars for over four years after a primary school alerted police.
The school in Oldham reported “a safeguarding concern” to police on December 1, 2022, that Bernard Oliver may have been in possession of a firearm.
Police said the force “treated the report with the seriousness it deserved” and arrested Oliver later that day.
A tub with 10 snap bags containing suspected cocaine were discovered when he was searched. Oliver later told officers, falsely, that he had found this outside and was going to hand it in.
It was only after a further detailed search of Oliver’s house was carried out that the true extent of his criminality was uncovered.
Seized from a safe were a number of items including a Dan Wesson silver CO2 BB Revolver; a black and blue BB gun; four rounds of imitation ammunition; cannabis in a box and two snap bags; an expanding police-style baton; a butterfly knife, and a debtor’s list written on notepad paper.
The white powder found on Oliver and in his house was later tested and found to be a positive sample of cocaine, with the drugs seized valued by a detective to be worth between £5,000 and £7,500.
Oliver, 45, of Balfour Street in Oldham, was sentenced to 54 months in prison at Bolton Crown Court on Monday (November 13).
He pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply Class A and B drugs, as well as possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence and possession of a prohibited weapon.
Oliver was also ordered towards a forfeiture and destruction order.
After the sentencing, a senior police officer praised those who came forward for ‘doing the right thing’ and said Oliver was ‘a known drug dealer’ who ‘had no regard for the law or safety of others’.
Detective Constable Masterson, of GMP’s Oldham CID, commented: “Firstly, the bravery of the witnesses and those involved in reporting this matter has resulted in a positive and safe result and I can’t commend them enough for doing this.
“They undoubtedly did the right thing and shows the importance of having confidence to report any concerns you have so officers can look into it properly.
“Oliver was an individual who had no regard for the law or safety of others, being a known drug dealer and having items that could cause concern and fear.
“Being imitations doesn’t reduce the severity or seriousness of his actions and, if allowed to continue, this could have resulted in more lives being impacted in a negative way.
“He will spend time behind bars now to reflect on his actions but Oliver, who had a loving family, will now have to come to terms with the devastating choices he has made which has resulted in his custodial sentence.”
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