‘Monkey dust’ drug dealer jailed after strangling and threatening to kill girlfriend

Scott Gallon (26), who subjected his partner to a campaign of terror and boasted he was "making £1,000 a day" in messages to his customers. was convicted of a string of drug-related offences between 2019 and 2021.

Prosecutor Antony Longworth told Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court that Gallon had become jealous and possessive after starting a relationship with the woman in 2021.

His controlling and coercive behaviour involved him checking calls and messages on her phone, making degrading comments about her and being abusive to her, hitting her over the head with a computer tablet and strangling her and threatening to kill her.

"She said she was not allowed to leave the property without him. He would say: 'You are my property. You are not allowed to go to the pub. There are boys in the pub and you are not allowed',” Mr Longworth said, according to StokeonTrentLive.

"He would lose his temper, go off his face, he would strangle her, put a lighter to her face and threaten to set her on fire. He burnt her hair. He made her change her job. She described being terrified."

Gallen threw a package over a wall which contained £30-worth of heroin and £10-worth of monkey dust, when he was stopped and searched by police on March 10, 2020, the court heard. His phone was seized and contained messages linking him to the supply of drugs.

He was then caught in possession of a small amount of cannabis and another mobile which again contained messages relating to the supply of drugs when he seen to engage with a known drug user in Cobridge nine days later.

Officers also seized £195. His home was searched and officers recovered 31 wraps of monkey dust worth £620.

Gallon was detained on March 14, 2021, after police searched an address in Fenton. Officers found 30 wraps of cocaine worth £1,500; 46 wraps of crack cocaine worth £1,400; 17 wraps of cocaine worth £350; two bags of white rocks of crack cocaine worth £460 and £190. There was also a box containing £4,120.

On September 2, 2021 Gallon was a passenger in a car stopped by police and fond to be in possession of £233.25 cash.

His phone was analysed and contained flare messages to customers. He also boasted to someone that he was "running Cobridge" and "doing a grand a day". He claimed his cocaine was "ten out of ten" and "the best about".

He also drove while disqualified on two occasions.

Gallon, formerly of Westbourne Drive, Tunstall, admitted possession with intent to supply heroin.

He also admitted to possession with intent to supply monkey dust; three charges of possession of criminal property; possession of cannabis; being concerned in the supply of cannabis; two charges of possession with intent to supply a class A drug.

He further admitted to being concerned in the supply of class A drug crack cocaine; controlling or coercive behaviour; stalking; common assault; assault occasioning actual bodily harm; two charges of making a threat to kill; and two charges of driving while disqualified.

Paul Cliff, defending, said he began to use cannabis and cocaine during lockdown.

“He became addicted to cocaine, Mr Cliff said. “He is very sorry for his behaviour."

Judge Paul Glenn ordered the forfeiture of the cash seized from Gallon during the various arrests, £155, £195, £4,120 and £233.25. Gallon was banned from driving for a year, extended by five years to account for the time he will serve in prison.

According to the Alcohol and Drug Foundation, the media has described ‘monkey dust’ as a deadly new drug on the rise in Australia.

Also known as ‘bath salts’ or MDPV, it showed up on the drug market in the mid-2000s.

‘Monkey dust’ is a synthetic cathinone – a New Psychoactive Substance (NPS) that is chemically similar to a naturally occurring mild stimulant called cathinone.

There are a few synthetic cathinones which are all similar but different to natural cathinone. They also produce much stronger effects.

Their effects include feeling happy, energetic, talkative and having an intense connection to music, which is similar to the effects of MDMA or cocaine. Similar side effects can also include muscle tension, reduced appetite, restless sleep and enlarged pupils.