Rapper smoked cannabis at the age of 12, court heard
BBCUK rapper Digga D told a court that he has been using cannabis to relieve his frequent migraines since the age of 12.
The Drill star, whose real name is Rhys Herbert, admitted importing 3 kilograms (6.6 pounds) of the Class B drug after being arrested near Lincoln on the morning of February 21 during a broadcast on Instagram Live.
He pleaded guilty in May to charges of cannabis trafficking relating to July 11, 2023, and supplying cannabis between October 26, 2022 and February 21, 2024.
However, during a hearing on the issue known as the Newton Hearing at Lincoln Crown Court, the 24-year-old denied importing up to 60 kilograms (132 lb) of cannabis for commercial sale.
A two-day hearing has been held in front of Judge Simon Hurst, who will decide on the level of Herbert’s drug dealing after the prosecution did not accept the basis of their pleas.
Giving evidence via a video link from HMP Wormwood Scrubs, where he is currently on remand, the rapper said he started using cannabis at the age of 12 and “to get relief from his frequent migraines”. “Used this drug during my teenage years.
The court heard that it was “advantageous” for Herbert to buy large quantities of cannabis because he could buy it where he could and it proved to be cheaper.
His defense barrister, James Scobie Casey, previously told the court that the artist’s earnings at the time of the alleged large-scale drug dealing activity were in excess of £3m.
On Tuesday, prosecutors suggested that a message on Herbert’s phone referring to “40 in the air” was in connection with the importation of approximately 18 kilograms (635 ounces) of cannabis.
Herbert told the court it was an “imaginary conversation” and he had no knowledge of the 18kg weight arriving in the country at the time.
He said he also obtained bags of cannabis to use in the video of his hit song I’m From.
The musician said that buying in bulk also reduced his chances of being caught by the police as he was often stopped in London and other parts of the country.
The trial previously heard the 24-year-old was a heavy smoker of cannabis and supplied it socially to others in the music industry, including his peers.
He was also supplying three people who lived at his address in Bracebridge Heath, near Lincoln.
However, prosecutors claim he was involved in commercial transactions involving up to 60 kilograms.
Mr Scobie said the artist was selling around 5 kilograms (11 pounds) of the Class B drug on a “sporadic” commercial basis – making a small profit of £300-£400 on each deal.
The court heard that two sets of scales and a cannabis grinder were recovered from Herbert’s London home on Lonsdale Road, Notting Hill, where he lived with his mother.
Mobile phone footage of the star handling a bag of cannabis and allegedly complaining about the poor quality was shown to the judge.
Prosecutors claimed that several photographs also showed Herbert handling large amounts of cash.
Mr Scobie said Herbert was an internationally recognized musician with legitimate income and had made videos that featured large sums of cash.
The hearing was adjourned until January 31 when the judge will deliver his verdict and sentence.
