A barrister celebrated an ‘outbreak of common sense’ after prosecutors dropped efforts to pursue his drug-dealing client for proceeds of crime.

Kleanth Dalti, 33, was given six months’ imprisonment suspended for a year-and-a-half in March for dealing cannabis.

The case was listed before Recorder Anthony Cartin at Oxford Crown Court on Friday afternoon for a proceeds of crime hearing.

The prosecutor confirmed that the Crown was not pursuing confiscation proceedings.

Dominic Thomas, defending, told the judge he had nothing to add ‘other than to celebrate an outbreak of common sense’.

In the spring, the court heard how Dalti was seen by police officers going into a Banbury Premier Inn with a young woman on November 14 last year.

They followed him to his hotel room, where he was found together with seven bags of cocaine on him. 

His house was searched and the officers found £2,000 in cash in a woman’s purse in his bedroom. 

Messages on his phone showed that he had been offering to sell a then unknown drug, which Dalti later told police was cannabis. 

Dalti, of South Street, Banbury, was initially charged with possession with intent to supply cocaine and possession of the £2,000 ‘criminally acquired’ cash. The charges were dropped in favour of an allegation, which he admitted, of being concerned in an offer to supply cannabis and personal possession of cocaine.

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This story was written by Tom Seaward. He joined the team in 2021 as Oxfordshire's court and crime reporter.  

To get in touch with him email: Tom.Seaward@newsquest.co.uk

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