Shrewsbury drugs courier avoids being sent to prison

Jamie Edwards, aged 40, had been acting as a drug courier to pay off a drug debt, Shrewsbury Crown Court heard.

Mr Tariq Shakoor, prosecuting, said police discovered the haul after pulling over a Toyota on the A49 in the area of Prees Green, on November 5 last year.

In Edwards' jogging bottoms pockets police found 163 wraps of crack cocaine with a street value of £1,630.

A further 100 wraps of heroin, worth £1,000 in street deals, were found.

Mr Shakoor said Edwards was taken into custody and strip searched. Police found further wraps of crack cocaine and heroin in his mouth and in his underwear. Mr Shakoor said in total 154 wraps of heroin and 251 wraps of crack cocaine were found.

Edwards, of Whitehouse Gardens, Ditherington, pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing cocaine and heroin with intent to supply at a previous hearing.

The court heard he had no previous convictions but had been given a caution for possession of heroin in December 2013.

Mr Paul Smith, representing Edwards, said he had done a lot of work on his drug addiction. He said if Edwards did not get put in custody he would have an offer of a trial period of employment.

Sentencing Edwards, Judge Jim Tindal said the supply of Class A drugs not only blighted lives but whole communities.

He said if he sent Edwards to prison, once he got out there would be nothing to stop him being drawn back into the drugs world.

Judge Tindal told Edwards: "I would not be protecting the public if I let that happen when there's a viable alternative."

The court heard probation officers viewed that he was at low risk of reoffending.

Judge Tindal handed him a two-year prison sentence, suspended for two years, together with a drug rehabilitation requirement.