An Albanian drug dealer who entered Britain illegally has been spared jail because his partner suffers from depression and prisons are too full.
Urim Morina, 27, avoided jail despite pleading guilty to supplying cocaine through a county lines gang and possessing a document in a false name.
The Albanian initially entered Britain illegally using a travel document in a different name after being sent by his father ‘in hope of finding a better life for himself‘.
The judge used new Labour guidelines designed to prevent lower-level criminals from going to prison.
They were introduced to stop prisons from running out of space amid overcrowding in Britain’s jails.
Morina had his two-year and four-month sentence suspended for three years by Judge James Bromige.
Previously, judges only had the power to suspend a sentence of two years or less.
Judge Bromige said his decision to spare Morina jail was influenced by the fact that his partner suffered from depression and chronic pain.
An Albanian drug dealer who entered Britain illegally has been spared jail because his partner has depression and prisons are too full (stock photo)
He accepted that Morina cooked and cleaned for his family as a result of his partner’s condition and that he took his partner to medical appointments.
Morina was arrested after police raided his home in March in connection with a county lines drug gang. Officers found a mobile phone he had operated that showed he supplied cocaine over an 18-month period.
No drugs were found on the property but almost £700 was found in cash, according to The Times.
Police also found a certificate of travel for a man with a different name.
In mitigation, Mahesh Karu said: ‘He hasn’t committed any offences until this time. He has obtained BTECs and GCSEs and various professional qualifications and has tried to do the best that he can.’
The judge said that apart from entering the UK illegally, he had lived a ‘law-abiding life’ adding that his ‘strong work ethic is evident’.
Instead of jail-time, Morina was ordered to complete 175 hours of unpaid work and 25 rehabilitation days.
The Ministry of Justice said: ‘Sentencing decisions are made by independent judges, but our message is clear – prison will always remain the place for dangerous offenders.
‘We inherited prisons on the brink of collapse and are pulling every lever possible to fix this including building 14,000 new places. Where a custodial sentence is not imposed, offenders can face our toughest-ever range of controls including world-first restriction zones, the largest expansion of electronic tagging, and face being put behind bars if they break the rules.’
