Penrith cocaine dealer avoids jail after running small scale supply operation
A cocaine dealer whose customers included a Penrith man who later carried out a knife attack on two neighbours has avoided an immediate prison sentence.
Samuel Anthony Moore, 34, appeared at Carlisle Crown Court after admitting two drug supply offences, common assault and causing criminal damage to a car.
Moore, now of Allan Haigh Close in Wakefield, was sentenced to one year and ten months in prison. However, the sentence was suspended for 18 months.
He was also ordered to complete 100 hours of unpaid work and take part in a six-month drug rehabilitation programme.
Judge Michael Fanning said Moore had been running a small-scale cocaine supply operation to pay for his own drug use.
Phone evidence revealed cocaine supply
Prosecutor Tim Evans said Moore’s dealing came to light following the arrest of former Royal Marine Samuel Hughes.
Hughes was previously jailed for eight years after attacking a father and son with a knife during what a court heard was a drug-induced psychosis.
Police examined Hughes’ phone after his arrest and found evidence showing that he had been buying cocaine from Moore.
The dealing took place over a period of around one month.
Moore admitted being concerned in the supply of cocaine during late 2025.
Judge Fanning accepted that Moore was not directly responsible for Hughes’ later actions.
Police found 14g of cocaine
A second drug supply offence came to light in February when police searched a property in Penrith linked to Moore.
Officers found 14g of cocaine at the address.
The court heard that Moore supplied the drug to other users within his social circle rather than operating as part of a larger organised network.
He admitted possessing cocaine with intent to supply.
Defending Moore, barrister Scarlett Wilson said the dealing had been motivated by his need to fund his own cocaine dependency.
Woman injured outside Penrith shop
Moore was also sentenced for an incident outside a Spar shop in Penrith.
CCTV footage showed him involved in an altercation with a woman. She was persuaded to get into her car and drive away.
As the car moved off, Moore threw a bottle opener with a corkscrew towards it.
The object smashed through a window before hitting the woman in the face. She suffered a cut as a result.
The woman later said she felt lucky that she had not been more seriously injured and was afraid of seeing Moore in Penrith.
Moore admitted common assault and criminal damage.
Court hears about cocaine dependency
Ms Wilson told the court that Moore had experienced a troubled childhood and had struggled after the death of his brother in the armed forces in 2012.
She said his cocaine use began around that time before increasing from recreational use into a dependency.
The breakdown of a difficult relationship in 2024 was also said to have affected his mental health.
However, the court heard that Moore had not used cocaine for the previous four or five months.
Ms Wilson said Moore had been intoxicated during the incident outside the shop and had acted impulsively. He described his actions as a “stupid mistake” and apologised for injuring the woman.
She argued that there was a realistic prospect of rehabilitation.
Judge Fanning decided the prison term could be suspended, meaning Moore will not serve the sentence immediately unless he commits another offence or breaches the requirements during the 18-month period.
