A drug “runner” found hiding in a loft by police who pursued him after they interrupted a suspicious street meeting has been spared jail.
Officers saw a male involved in an exchange with 27-year-old Liam Michael Murphy in Whitehaven on July 11, 2019, but their presence prevented an apparent handover.
“The defendant was pursued and was seen to run into an address,” prosecutor Rachael Woods told Carlisle Crown Court. “There were other people present at the address. The defendant was found hiding in the loft of another property.”
After his arrest, Murphy admitted possessing heroin with intent to supply after 12 wraps of the class A drug were recovered.
The court heard Murphy had been “addicted hopelessly to drugs” and acted as a “runner” from a safe house at the behest of others. However, he had told a probation officer he was now “clean” of illicit substances.
After hearing mitigation, and in view of the time which had elapsed since the offence occurred, Judge Nicholas Barker suspended a 24-month sentence for two years. Murphy, of George Street, Whitehaven, was also ordered to complete a rehabilitation requirement, 180 hours’ unpaid work and a three-month electronically monitored night time curfew.
“The supply of any class A drug is always a very serious matter,” said the judge, of added of the impact on users. “It takes over their lives and it ruins lives.”
