Judge Hails Drug Dealers' Good Grammar and Lets Them Off With Community Service

A judge in the United Kingdom let two young drug dealers off with community service after they were caught with a large amount of cannabis to sell, as well as a small quantity of cocaine.

In his remarks before sentencing, Judge David Hale of Swansea Crown Court in Wales noted the good grammar used by Luke Rance, 19, and Brandon Kerrison, 21, in their text messages to prospective clients, Wales Online reported on Thursday. Hale also recognized that the young men had prospects of obtaining legal employment and had demonstrated they could get their lives back on the right track, saying he did not want to hinder their futures.

Instead of sending the young men to prison, the judge ordered them to do 12-months of community service, including 100 hours of unpaid labor. Hale noted that Kerrison was set to complete a course in construction and that Rance was planning to start a degree course next year.

"I hope a court never sees either of you again," the judge told them after his decision.

When Rance and Kerrison were caught by the police on December 17, they were found with nine bags of cannabis, as well as a small amount of cocaine. Kerrison was also smoking a marijuana cigarette. Officers then searched the defendants' homes, finding two more large bags of weed in Rance's bedroom, estimated to be worth about $1,500.

In one text message sent out to clients on a phone, which was confiscated by police, one of the dealers wrote: "Mad flavors from 10 tonight – let me know for more details." According to the judge and prosecutors, the spelling, grammar and punctuation in this and other texts was of a much higher standard than what they were normally accustomed to encountering from similar defendants.

Although several countries around the world have moved to legalize or decriminalize cannabis, the plant remains illegal in the U.K. However, last summer, the government decided to approve marijuana for medicinal use. Now patients can obtain prescriptions for legal weed from licensed medical practitioners for specific conditions.

But recreational pot remains strictly illegal and punishments can be severe for those who use or sell the plant without medical approval. Possession of the plant and its derivatives still can carry an unlimited fine as well as up to five years in jail and dealers can face up to 14 years in prison, according to The Independent. Considering Rance and Kerrison were let off with a year of community service, Hale's decision was clearly lenient compared to the potential punishment they could have received.