A DRUG dealer who was spared prison in an “exceptional” act of mercy was organising and directing the sale of heroin and cocaine just days after his release. 

Martel Lilly, 21, had a two year prison term suspended for two years in 2020 after he was caught running drugs on the streets of Clacton for the ‘Ice’ drug line.

But within six days of this act of mercy, Lilly stepped up from street-level dealing to instructing runners remotely from his home in Ipswich. 

At Chelmsford Crown Court, Judge Mary Loram QC said: “He’s no longer the soldier sent out on the street, more of – if not a General – maybe a Lieutenant Colonel.”

The court heard police became aware the ‘Ice’ line was again active in Clacton between October and November 2020. 

A large proportion of messages advertising the sale of cocaine and heroin activated cell sites within the vicinity of the defendant’s home in Peppercorn Way, Ipswich.

Lilly admitted two counts of conspiracy to supply class A drugs.

More from court: Teenager was 'no match' for police after 90mph pursuit ended in foot chase

Judge Loram said Lilly “must have been organising and directing the commercial sale of drugs”. 

She said: “You were given a truly exceptional chance by His Honour Judge Seely. 

“He clearly took into account your young age and there was no doubt heartfelt mitigation put forward on your part. 

“Whilst that sentence was being passed you must have been inwardly laughing, because within days you were back out and involved in running the ‘Ice’ line. 

“Whilst in the dock you were clearly simply waiting to get back out and start dealing again and that is what you did.” 

The judge added: “But it’s not just that, when you did go back to your occupation, you went back in a more trusted and directional role.

“You were no longer out there yourself, you were directing others from the safety of your home, leaving others, no doubt young, to take the risks.”

James McCrindell, mitigating, said his client would have to accept he had “completely wasted” the opportunity given to him under a suspended sentence order. 

He said: “The offending occurs in the life of somebody who has been born and raised, on the face of his antecedence, in the world of Class A drugs supply and is before the court today for the first time as an adult facing an adult sentence.”

He said his client had already spent a significant amount of time in custody ahead of sentence. 

“He is somebody who of course is maturing in prison,” he said. 

“The background of his offending is a hard upbringing. 

“He lost his brother to cancer when the brother was aged eight and this defendant was aged six or seven. 

“He got into drugs as a young person, consuming cocaine himself and then inevitably getting involved in supply and then that leads to the antecedence we see and the involvement in the drug supply world.” 

Mr McCrindell said Lilly had seized the chance to “grow up” while in custody, “starting to think about how he can move forward”.

The suspended sentence was activated by the judge and Lilly was sentenced to a total of six years imprisonment.