A remorseful drug dealer broke down in court as he confessed to his involvement in a serious illegal operation.
Liam Harrison, 26, tearfully claimed "I couldn't stop myself" after being caught with bags of cocaine and MDMA pills just a few months after losing his job as an accountant.
He appeared at Liverpool Crown Court yesterday, May 24, where he pleaded guilty to two counts of possession with intent to supply class A and possession of class B.
READ MORE: Pregnant mum died after 'speeding' BMW hit her on hard shoulder
Police were on patrol on Queensway, Waterloo, at around 3.45pm on August 11 2022 when they noticed Harrison cycling with a large bag. Their suspicions were raised when the 26-year-old attempted to hide behind a gate; they searched him and found 11 wraps of white powder and £260 cash.
He was arrested, and a further search of his home on Brunswick Parade discovered other items relating to drug use, including bags of cocaine and a large plastic bag of 355 MDMA pills worth up to £3,500.
Mr Whitehead, defending, said Harrison had suffered a traumatic event in his childhood which caused him to fall into drug use, and he had recently lost his accounting job due to his addiction.
He said: "The defendant is a man of previous good character, a man of ability, good education, good work record, and determine to rebuild his life when this proceeding is over.
"You can understand why his personal tragedies caused him to become a user of drugs. From his own admission he became highly addicted to class A, he built up debts, and he was working his drug debt off by selling class A drugs."
He said Harrison was no longer involved in taking drugs and had sought help for his addiction.
Addressing Harrison, Judge David Hale said: "You have had a good education, you have got lots of qualifications, you have worked, you have a doting mother and a family. And here you are having pleaded guilty to possessing, dealing with cocaine, and having 355 ecstasy tablets. You know perfectly well, and knew perfectly well throughout, that if you got caught you would go down, and yet you went on doing it."
When asked why he had done what he did, Harrison replied: "I couldn't stop. I couldn't stop myself."
But Judge Hale said: "You chose not to stop. You have shown you can stop. You didn't stop though, and you know the misery that this stuff causes. The profits that some people are raking in on it. An yet you are playing your part, knowing every day that if the roof fell in, your mother would be devastated, and your life would be."
He sentenced Harrison to 28 months in prison.
READ NEXT
Live updates as road closed due to police incident
See who you remember in these 19 photos of Merseyside teachers
Smell of weed led police to door of war veteran who tried to flush bags down the toilet
Boy, 10, pinned schoolgirl, 11, to wall by her neck in horrifying attack
Frankie Bridge looks 'flawless' in £46 New Look dress 'perfect for a wedding'
