Preston man hid £450 drugs in his underpants after police chased him from nightclub where he had been snorting cocaine

Tyler Hendry, 22, of St Christopher's Road, Deepdale, Preston, is starting a 10 month jail term after a court heard he handed packages of ketamine, cocaine and MDMA to officers who were preparing to search him at Preston Police Station.

The sentencing judge voiced criticism after it emerged despite being arrested in 2018, Hendry was not taken to court until April 2020

Preston's Sessions House Court heard the drugs were later valued at between £380 to £450.

Hendry admitted two counts of being concerned in the supply of class A drugs and one of being concerned in the supply of a class B drug, on the basis he was transferring them from one dealer to another and was not involved in selling directly himself.

Prosecuting, Adam White said on June 23, 2018, shortly before 3am, Hendry came to the attention of a CCTV operator outside a club where it was believed he had been snorting drugs.

He added: " Officers were dispatched and he was quickly identified. But before handcuffs were placed on him he managed to break free and run away, causing officers to chase him on foot."

After being caught, Hendry was taken to the police station and removed plastic bags from his underwear including 10 snap bags of cocaine, 12 of MDMA and 11 of ketamine.

The defendant, who has 12 convictions for 32 offences, was released from prison shortly before committing the offences.

Imposing 10 months in jail - reduced due to the significant delay - Judge Simon Newell said: "For reasons that are unexplained and unacceptable although this arrest was in June 2019 it did not proceed to court until April 2020, almost two years later and that is bizarre because it is a very straightforward case.

"That has nothing to do with the pandemic.

"That shows the criminal justice system running from the police to the CPS to the court was not running efficiently and effectively pre pandemic.

" I now have to do some justice to offences that are now two and half years old."

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