Jail for Preston man who '˜found' £8k drugs

Daniel Disley, 24, of Ravenswood, Preston, who works at the D’Urton Manor development, claimed he had seen a man burying a shallow grave for the items and had dug them up and taken them to his friend’s home.

He later admitted possessing cocaine, diamorphine, and cannabis after police found wraps of drugs at his pal’s home during sa welfare visit to check on the man’s children on May 19, 2016.

Brian James Hopkins, 23, of Harling Road, admitted using his premises to be used in connection with drugs and was given eight months suspended for two years and 200 hours unpaid work.

Richard English, prosecuting, said: “ Mr Hopkins opened the door but initially declined to allow them in. PC Canavan told him she was going to come in.

“He began to physically shake and began to use his mobile to ring his partner, then turned his back and walked into kitchen. He was in the process of closing the kitchen drawer when officers asked what he was doing - she formed the view he was trying to conceal something from her.

“She could see wraps of powder in the drawers. He said: ‘It’s heroin and it’s mine. She noticed another wrap of something else and he said: ‘It’s crack and it’s mine.’

He was heard telling his partner: ‘They found it they’ve found the heroin.’

When officers searched the rest of the house they found snaps bags, six mobiles, £313 cash and weighing scales.

After Hopkin’s arrest, Disley went to the police station and confessed the drugs were his, saying he “found them” two days earlier.Recorder Stephen Bedford said: “However you came by your drugs, and the phones, weighing equipment or paraphernalia, it must have been obvious to you what it was and you foolishly decided to keep the material for yourself.

“I take the view there was a considerable degree of calculation and I cannot ignore that. I would be flying in the face of reality if I considered you played a lesser role.”