A DRUG dealer who invented a family tragedy when he was caught for skipping bail and failing to turn up at a court has been jailed for two years.

Mackenzie Liping claimed he missed a hearing because he was in the south of England dealing with the aftermath of a fatal road accident involving relatives.

The 47-year-old's own barrister described the car crash lie as "frankly scandalous" but pleaded with a Teesside Crown Court judge not to lock him up.

Peter Sabiston, mitigating, said Liping had kicked his heroin habit and was tackling his alcohol addiction, and deserved to be given a chance to make a fresh start.

Judge George Moorhouse rejected the plea for mercy and told Liping: "You have seen the effect heroin has on people's lives. Dealing in it warrants custody."

Sue Jacobs, prosecuting, told the court that the dealer was arrested after police saw him selling drugs in Middlesbrough town centre on March 5 last year.

When they raided the home he shared with his girlfriend, Leanne Yates, officers found wraps of heroin, a prescription treatment for addicts, and cannabis.

Liping and 28-year-old Yates were due in court in March, but he went missing and was not arrested until April 19, Mrs Jacobs told Judge Moorhouse.

"He stated that he had not attended on the last occasion as he was down in Chiswick where he had to unfortunately identify the bodies of some relatives.

"The police can find no trace of a fatal accident involving either of the people he mentioned," added Mrs Jacobs. "It would appear it was an untruth."

Mr Sabiston said: "It was because of his alcohol dependency that he failed to appear. He came up with an account which was frankly scandalous and he apologises."

Liping, of Parliament Road, Middlesbrough admitted possessing Class A drugs with intent to supply, possessing Class B drugs and supplying Class A drugs.

Yates pleaded guilty to possessing and being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs, and was given a 12-month prison sentence suspended for two years.

Her barrister Duncan McReddie told the court that the pair simply shared their heroin with other addicts when they had any, and the deal worked both ways.