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.
A search of a nearby rented address – where a toddler in his care had been left alone – uncovered £1,000 in cash, 154 wraps of crack cocaine in a black glove, and multiple hazards including exposed wires, no food or water, and an unlocked rooftop balcony.
Sudeene-Darien was charged with nine offences including drug supply, possession of an offensive weapon, and child neglect.
At Lewes Crown Court on March 11, he was sentenced to three years in prison.
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.
“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.”
