Drugs and £5,000 found in house raid
A man caught with a stash of illegal drugs in his home has been jailed for more than three years.
Police found packages of crack cocaine and amphetamine when they raided Tony Phillips’ property last March.
Prosecutor Mark Guiliani told Newcastle Crown Court: “The total value of the drugs combined was between £3,440 and £5,760.
“A little over £5,000 in cash was also seized.”
The court heard Phillips, 37, of Hill Rise, Washington Village, was not home during the search, but was arrested later.
At the time he was on licence from a five-year prison term imposed for a firearms offence in 2013, when he was caught with a mobile phone which had a stun-gun facility.
He was released from that jail term in July 2015, about eight months belifestyle fore he was caught with the drugs stash.
The court heard the authorities have recalled him back to jail to serve the remainder of the five-year sentence and he is also serving a 13-month term for violence, which was imposed earlier this year.
Christopher Knox, defending, said Phillips has no history of drug dealing and was not living a lavish that would suggest long term or high-level involvement.
Judge Stephen Earl sentenced Phillips to three years and four months behind bars.
The judge said: “The defendant is a 37-year-old man before the court, having not been before the court for similar matters on any regular basis.
“It seems this is, looking at the matter in the round, an appropriate sentence.”
Phillips admitted being concerned in the supply of Class A and Class B drugs.
The court heard prosecutors have commenced an investigation under the Proceeds of Crime Act and any assets Phillips has, including the £5,000 in cash found during the raid, may be seized.