A pair of drug dealers have been sentenced after an 'almost inexplicable' delay of nearly three years after being caught. 

Troy Vickers, 33 and Rebecca Armstrong, 29 both of Chaucer Grove, Atherton, were found to have been keeping around £1,200 worth of cannabis at their home along with a debtors lists, a set of scales and a knife used to cut drugs.

Officers had been called to the house on September 27 2019 apparently to deal with a domestic incident only to find the cannabis and paraphernalia inside, Bolton Crown Court heard.

Duncan Willock, prosecuting, said: “This was supply to users of drugs with a significant role being played by both of the defendants.”

He added: “Both parties are aware of the extent and nature of the enterprise and the role they played within that.”

Mr Willock told the court that messages were found on a mobile phone in the house that were “consistent with the supply of cannabis” to 21 other people.

Vickers and Armstrong both pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply controlled drugs on April 25 this year, with the delay partly caused by forensic examinations, according to Mr Willock.

Nicholas Ross, defending Vickers, said that his client accepted he was “the dominant partner” of the two but added he had come from an extremely troubled background and had been further troubled by the delay in bringing the case to court.

He said: “He’s been fearing this for the best part of three years.”

Kevin Liston, defending Armstrong, added that she was the junior partner compared to Vickers but like him deserved credit for pleading guilty.

The Honorary Recorder of Bolton, Judge Martin Walsh, admitted that the near three-year delay was ‘almost inexplicable’ and agreed that both deserved credit for admitting their guilt.

He sentenced to 39 weeks in prison, suspended for 18 months along with 35 rehabilitation requirement days.

Addressing Armstrong, Judge Walsh said: “I’m quite certain that you were to some extent acting under the influence of your partner.”

He sentenced her to an 18-month community order with 25 rehabilitation requirement days.