TWO brothers were last night behind bars after a series of drug finds by police – including one after a dramatic roof-top escape bid.

Gary Pattison, 40, was jailed for seven years and four months, and 38-year-old Darren Pattison received six years.

Teesside Crown Court heard how the Stockton siblings have in excess of 150 previous convictions between them going back more than 20 years.

Gary has served two lengthy jail terms for robberies – including a 15-year sentence in 2003 from which he was on licence when he committed the drugs offences.

Prosecutor Emma Atkinson said he “roof-hopped” after he saw police outside a property in Windsor Street, Stockton, on April 4, ditching packages as he ran.

Heroin worth a total of £25,550 was found, along with scales, a blender and rolls of bags from inside one of the houses.

Pattison, of Scurfield Road, Stockton, was also on bail for earlier drugs offences, after being caught twice with heroin, twice with pregabalin - a prescription painkiller - and diazepam, and a lock-knife.

His younger brother, of Middleton Walk, Stockton, is a ‘third-strike’ drug dealer who faced a mandatory minimum sentence, after being involved in one of the heroin pregabalin offences.

Darren Pattison’s lawyer, Alex Bousfield, said: “The biggest concern for his position is in relation to the minimum sentence.

“While to some it may appear harsh, to others it may not.

“Drugs have blighted his life. You can see from his previous convictions that drugs have featured in his life for 20 years.”

George Hazel-Owram, for Gary Pattison, said: “He knows these are serious offences, and recognises there will be a custodial sentence of some significant length.

“I concede he has a poor record with some serious offences on it, but he has no previous convictions for offences of this type.

“He has a partner, an eight-month-old child and a three-year-old child, and will now miss a significant part of their lives.”

He admitted two charges of possessing Class A drugs with intent to supply, possessing Class C drugs, two counts of possessing a prescribed drug with intent to supply, and having an offensive weapon.

Darren Pattison pleaded guilty to possessing with intent to supply Class A drugs and prescribed drugs.