I am appalled at the lenient sentences that are being handed out to convicted drug dealers in Brighton.

Recently, a man was caught in possession of a large amount of Class A drugs – enough to suggest he was dealing on a significant scale.

However, when his case came to court he was given 12 months probation. So, the extent of his punishment is a daily trip to the probation centre in Brighton – hardly a great deterrent to other drug dealers out there who are peddling their wares on the streets.

I would like to see all convicted drug dealers given a minimum of four years in prison and strict controls imposed when they are released. In my view, drug dealers wreck people’s lives and are indirectly responsible for a signficant number of deaths a year.

I think it is so important that we do everything we can to stamp out this scourge of society. We should never forget that Brighton and Hove is the drugs death capital of the UK. Giving convicted dealers non-custodial sentences will not help us in our efforts to turn this situation around.

Councillor Dawn Barnett
Conservative Councillor for Hangleton and Knoll Ward, Brighton and Hove City Council