Jail for Sunderland man who claimed he was looking after drugs for friend

A man jailed for a string of drug offences claimed he was only looking after some of the haul while a friend was visiting his mother.
Anthony McEvoy has been jailed for more than eight months after he was caught in possession of class B and C drugs.Anthony McEvoy has been jailed for more than eight months after he was caught in possession of class B and C drugs.
Anthony McEvoy has been jailed for more than eight months after he was caught in possession of class B and C drugs.

When Anthony McEvoy was found in possession of cannabis, amphetamines and class C pregabalin tablets, he told officers: "The joints are mine. The bags are my mate's."

McEvoy, 36, of Padgate Road, Pennywell, Sunderland, is now beginning more than eight months in prison after a court heard he was arrested at home because he had jumped bail in connection with a previous drugs case.

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South Tyneside magistrates were told on Thursday that he already had 27 convictions on his record for 85 offences.

Paul Anderson, prosecuting, said 14 of those offences were related to drugs and that McEvoy had received a 32-week suspended sentence for a June conviction.

He was then charged with possessing cannabis after he was discovered with three joints at his home on July 26.

When he failed to turn up at court to answer this accusation, Northumbria Police obtained a warrant to search his home on Wednesday of this week and discovered the cannabis, amphetamines and pregabalin.

Mr Anderson added: "He was fairly frank in his admissions.

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"The cannabis was his, The bag with some of the items belonged to a friend. He was asked to look after them while he went to visit his mother."

McEvoy pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing class B cannabis, one of possessing class B amphetamines and one of possessing the pregabalin.

He also admitted failing to surrender to custody on August 13.

Alastair Naismith, in mitigation, urged magistrates not to activate the suspended sentence.

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He added: "There is a a case to be said that Mr McEvoy is making progress with his issues with drugs. That is something to do with the work he is doing with probation."

Magistrates, however, decided to activate the 32-week suspended sentence and added a fortnight to run concurrently for each of the four latest drugs offences.

He was also ordered to pay £85 costs and a £122 Victim Surcharge.