Paul Finney was stopped by police after he and another man were seen arriving at a house in Lanchester, County Durham

Paul Finney was stopped by police after he and another man were seen arriving at a house in Lanchester, County Durham, which was under observation by officers. He was subsequently found with two bags of cocaine - 40 grammes worth - with a street value of £1,500. <br />"After being caught he attempted to eat [the drugs] but was prevented from doing so."Martin Towers, prosecutingProsecuting, Martin Towers told Teesside Crown Court: "After being caught he attempted to eat [the drugs] but was prevented from doing so." <br />A search of the property in question revealed larger quantities of cocaine. Finney's phone also revealed text messages indicative of drug dealing, said Mr Towers. Meanwhile, a bedroom in the house, in Manor Grange, which was used by Finney's co-defendant Clive Roland, was also searched and 1.16g of cocaine was found in a jacket belonging to him, along with a can of CS spray. Both men had an assortment of previous convictions with 35-year-old Finney serving a number of jail sentences. Stephen Duffield, for Finney, who admitted possession of cocaine with intent to supply, said he had turned his life around since the offences, on October 20 2006. He was now working for a construction company and was well paid. He was also clean of drugs, although he continued to take the heroin substitute methadone. Finney, of Bede Terrace, Bowburn, Durham, was given a nine month jail sentence, suspended for two years, by Judge Stephen Ashurst, who said he should pay £750 costs. Roland, 46, of Manor Grange, Lanchester, said he had used drugs for pain relief and claimed the cocaine found to be his possession had been bought months earlier. He admitted possession of drugs and a prohibited weapon. He was given a 12 month community order with a supervision element by the probation service.

Paul Finney was stopped by police after he and another man were seen arriving at a house in Lanchester, County Durham

Paul Finney was stopped by police after he and another man were seen arriving at a house in Lanchester, County Durham, which was under obser...

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