Furloughed dad who ‘turned to dealing crack cocaine throughout lockdown’ to pay baby assist arrested after promoting to cop

A FURLOUGHED father who turned to the crack cocaine trafficking to pay child support during the lockdown was arrested after selling drugs to an undercover police officer.

Keilan Macleod, 24, of Hull, beat several packs of crack cocaine to a police officer last November.

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Keilan committed three cases of crack cocaine shipments and two cases of possession with the intent to ship crack cocaine and heroinPhoto credit: Humberside Police

The father was arrested at his home on Belmont Street on May 4, 2021.

During the raid, police seized 39 packs of crack cocaine and 50 packs of heroin hidden in a shoebox, along with drug supplies, spare phones and SIM cards, and cash.

The 24-year-old committed three cases of cracked cocaine and two cases of possession with the intent to deliver cracked cocaine and heroin.

Macleod was convicted of drug possession in 2015 and robbery in 2016.

But his defense attorney Rachel Scott told Hull Crown Court the pressure of the lockdown caused Macleod to go back to his “old ways”.

She said: “He was given leave during the Covid-19 pandemic and had to wait three months for a grant to pay for his child support.

“He told me that initially led him to revert to his old ways of dealing with drugs.”

The lawyer also told the court that Macleod had now recognized his mistakes and wanted to be a good father to his seven-year-old son.

She added, “His son was very upset and told his father that he had left him, which upset the defendant very much.

“He now realizes what imprisonment does with children.”

But Judge David Tremberg said: “There are many people in this country and around the world who have gotten into financial difficulties as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“It is not an excuse for them and it is not an excuse for you to turn into the drug trade.”

The judge sentenced the father to four years in prison and asked Macleod to reflect on his actions.

He said, “I invite you to spend some time behind bars to ponder your future. And wonder how your son is supposed to see you.

“As an absent drug dealing father or someone to look up to.”

Macleod is serving half of his sentence in prison and half on parole.

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