Bryan Reinosa-Toassa, a former drug dealer, is jailed again after violating probation by possessing a knife in public for a second offense.
He was in prison before, back in July 2023. They caught him with a knife, cocaine, and crack. He planned to sell those drugs near Elswick. He got out last July, but he was still on probation. Police saw him acting weird in Byker on February 3rd.
The police searched Reinosa-Toassa and found a knife on him. He told police he needed it for protection because he feared others might harm him. Reinosa-Toassa lives on George’s Road, in Elswick. He admitted he had the knife in court.
A prosecutor, Jonathan Moore, spoke about the incident, stating it happened around 12:45 pm. An officer saw Reinosa-Toassa on Shields Road and noticed his behavior. The search revealed the knife in his jacket. Reinosa-Toassa said he carried it for self-defense, claiming it would stop him from getting hurt.
His lawyer, Jack Lovell, mentioned his client’s issues, explaining Reinosa-Toassa has mental health problems and was once in a mental health facility. Lovell also mentioned he was homeless until December.
Judge Kate Meek sent him to Crown Court because she felt they needed more sentencing options. She kept him in custody for now, worried he might commit more crimes if released. He will appear in court on March 4th.
