TWO brothers from Abingdon have avoided jail at Oxford Crown Court after they admitted dealing cannabis.

Darren and Dean Mcallister, both of Laburnum Avenue, Abingdon, were sentenced yesterday for supplying the Class B drug in July last year.

Prosecutor Jerome Silva said the pair were arrested after 24-year-old Darren was badly beaten up and police seized his mobile phone while he was in hospital.

He told Recorder Nicholas Cole they found messages which made it clear he and his 18-year-old brother were involved in selling cannabis.

Our top stories

The barrister said Darren had previous convictions for offences including drug possession, but at the time of their crime his younger brother had no convictions.

Lucy Ffrench, defending, said: “There have been significant changes in both of these young men’s lives since this offence was committed.” She said Darren now works for a sub-contractor to BMW and his brother is due to start a job in the new year.

Recorder Cole told the pair: “It is well known that drugs cause misery to society, as well as being illegal.”

He sentenced Dean to a 12-month community order with 100 hours of unpaid work and a four-week curfew. He told him to pay £500 costs. Darren was given a 10-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, with 100 hours of unpaid work. He was told to pay £1,000 costs and a £100 victims’ surcharge.


Do you want alerts delivered straight to your phone via our WhatsApp service? Text NEWS or SPORT or NEWS AND SPORT, depending on which services you want, and your full name to 07767 417704. Save our number into your phone’s contacts as Oxford Mail WhatsApp and ensure you have WhatsApp installed.