Criminals prosecuted for drug offences after being caught with substances

THESE EIGHT CRIMINALS WERE IN POSSESSION OF VARIOUS TYPES OF DRUGS, SUCH AS COCAINE, CANNABIS, HEROIN AND LSD 03:00, 24 May 2025 These North East criminals have been prosecuted for drug

offences after being caught with illegal substances. These eight criminals were in possession of various types of drugs, such as cocaine, cannabis, heroin and LSD. From County Durham to

Houghton-le-Spring and Howdon to Fenham, the incidents have ranged from growing cannabis in a Newcastle home to police finding £1.5m of cocaine in the boot of a car. In one case, dealers

even hid wraps of cocaine inside an Easter Egg. Here are the eight careless criminals who were brought in front of a North East judge after being caught by police. JACK FOWLER AND RHYS BELL

Jack Fowler, 24, was behind the wheel of a Hyundai in Byker when police saw a "drugs transaction" take place. Soon after, his pal Rhys Bell, 23, got in his car and police swooped

in. Bell and Fowler were arrested and hundreds of pounds worth of crack-cocaine was found stashed inside an Easter egg. A hatchet and a machete were also in the car, along with mobile phones

which included text messages relating to drug-dealing. Fowler was jailed for four years and banned him from driving for four years and three months, while Bell, who breached a suspended

sentence, was jailed for four years and 10 months. Read the full story here. JACK HEMMINGS A man has admitted his role in the supply of cocaine in Newcastle. Jack Hemmings was part of an

alleged three-strong group who were dealing the class A drug over a 16-day period back in 2021. A court heard that the 26-year-old was stopped by police in a car with two others and

arrested. Hemmings, of Georges Road, in Elswick, was in the dock this week, four years after initially being detained, to plead guilty to being concerned in the supply of cocaine. Ruth

Forster, prosecuting at Newcastle Magistrates' Court, said the offence happened between July 2, 2021 and July 22, 2021. The case was committed to Newcastle Crown Court for sentence by

District Judge Kate Meek. Read the full story here. JIRI JIROUT A tenant was found to be growing cannabis in tents inside his Newcastle home when his landlord called in. Jiri Jirout, who has

a previous conviction relating to cannabis resin, claimed he'd been producing the class B drug to treat pain in his foot. When the police were called and searched the

49-year-old's Walker address, they found the tents and plants, as well as transformers and lighting equipment, a court heard. The court heard that Jirout, who has 16 offences on his

record, was arrested and admitted growing the drug during interview, stating it was for his own personal use. Jirout, of Walkerdene House, in Walker, has now been fined £300 after he pleaded

guilty to producing the class B drug. Read the full story here. MARK WILSON A man has appeared in court accused of dealing multiple types of class A and B drugs in Sunderland. Mark Wilson

was in the dock this week, where he admitted supplying cannabis, supplying MDMA, possessing ketamine with intent to supply, possessing magic mushrooms and possessing LSD. However, he denied

two further charges of possession with intent to supply cannabis and possession with intent to supply 2C-B. Newcastle Magistrates' Court heard that the offences were alleged to have

taken place between December 2022 and January 2023 in Houghton-le-Spring. The 24-year-old, of Fountains Crescent, also in Houghton-le-Spring, spoke only to enter his five guilty pleas and

two not guilty and to confirm his name, date of birth and address during the brief hearing. While he waits to return to the same court for the sentencing hearing on the charges that he

pleaded guilty to, Wilson has been released on unconditional bail. Read the full story here. MARK MCDONALD A man has appeared in court accused of having 150g of heroin with intent to supply.

Mark McDonald was alleged to have had the class A drug at his home in North Tyneside in July 2022. The 44-year-old was in the dock at South East Northumberland Magistrates' Court this

week. McDonald, of Chatton Street, in East Howdon, North Tyneside spoke only to confirm his name, date of birth and address and to enter a not guilty plea to one count of possession of a

class A drug with intent to supply. Paige Sparks, prosecuting, said 150g of the heroin was allegedly found at McDonald's then address in North Shields on July 5 2022. McDonald was

released on unconditional bail to next appear at Newcastle Crown Court on May 21. Read the full story here. AMY ELSTOB AND KEVIN SLACK A cocaine-couriering mum was caught transporting £1.5m

of the Class A drug from Manchester to the North East. Amy Elstob, 30, and her boyfriend Kevin Slack, 41, were stopped on their way back from Manchester, on November 14 last year. The

police, who were acting on intelligence about suspected drug dealing, found 15kg of cocaine in the boot of the car, and Teesside Crown Court heard the drugs have a street value of just under

£1.5m. Elstob, of Land Bank, Cockfield, in Bishop Auckland and Slack, of High Etherley in Bishop Auckland, both pleaded guilty to the possession of a class A drug with intent to supply,

while Slack also admitted the possession of a class B drug. Elstob was jailed for four years, and Slack wept as Judge Wright said that he accepted he was in the car "to support your

partner", before he was handed a three year prison term. Article continues below Read the full story here. JOIN OUR COURT & CRIME WHATSAPP COMMUNITY Join our Court and Crime

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