A dealer that got caught with more than £1,000 worth of heroin claimed it was for personal use.
Conor Bassnett, of Southwood Road, Aigburth, was carrying a JD sports bag with 93 wraps of heroin, worth an estimated value of £1120. The 27-year-old had been shopping at Birchwood shopping centre, in Warrington, at 1.40pm on Friday, June 4, when he was detained for an unrelated matter.
After being held for the unrelated matter, that he was not charged for, police searched him and the drugs were found. Bassnett pleaded not guilty to possession with intent to supply heroin, saying that the drugs were for his own personal use.
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However a jury at Liverpool Crown Court found him guilty after a two-day trial. He was sentenced on Friday, June 11, to five years and six months imprisonment.
Detective Sergeant Tom Hall, of Warrington’s proactive team, said: "Unfortunately Bassnett is well known to police officers in Warrington due to his prolific offending.
"On this occasion he was found to clearly be involved in the supply of Class A drugs despite his claim the heroin was for his own personal use. Thankfully the jury could see this was a lie and he is now beginning his sentence in prison away from the streets of Warrington."
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