A drug dealer caught with a big stash of cocaine and cannabis and £24,000 cash has walked free from court.
When police raided the home of Lee Hobson, they found 55g of cocaine, 634g of cannabis, money and mobile phones texts showing he had been dealing.
He pleaded guilty to having the cocaine on the basis he was acting as a "custodian" of it for someone else who he was in debt to, which was accepted by prosecutors.
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Hobson, 34, accepted dealing cannabis but said some of the cash found was from his business as a scaffolder, which has since collapsed.
He pleaded guilty to possessing cocaine and cannabis with intent to supply and possessing criminal property but avoided an immediate spell behind bars.
Newcastle Crown Court heard police executed a warrant at his then-home in Sunderland on October 10 2019.
The court heard he was subsequently warned by police, in April 2020, that there was a risk to his personal safety due to his "activities to do with drugs" but he reject the offer of safeguarding.
Miss Recorder Davies sentenced Hobson, who now lives at his partner's home on Petersfield Road, Pennywell, Sunderland, to 21 months suspended for 18 months with 200 hours unpaid work and a three month curfew between 7pm and 6am.
He faces Proceeds of Crime Act proceedings to try to claw back his ill-gotten gains.
Gavin Doig, defending, said he denies supplying cocaine but the fact he intended to supply it back to the person he says asked him to store it means it's classed as an intent to supply.
He added: "He is in employment and there's a glowing reference from his employer.
"He was in debt at the time because of problems with his own business, which is what led him to this court.
"His business collapsed and he is now working for a large scaffolding company."
