A man caught up in the drugs trade to pay off a debt has been locked up after police found heroin stashed in his bedroom.

Jack Rutley was looking after two pairs of digital scales and £720 worth of the Class A drugs when police turned up at his house in connection with an unrelated matter.

The 27-year-old was jailed for 16 months when he appeared at Teesside Crown Court after pleading guilty to being concerned in the supply of a Class A drug.

Shaun Dryden, prosecuting, said police searched the defendant’s bedroom in July 21 when they recovered the drugs and drug paraphernalia after being let into his home by his grandmother.

Read more: Murder accused told witness he had ‘smashed someone’s head in’

He said: “They found him in his bedroom and they found a bag with two sets of digital scales and 53.5g of heroin.”

Mr Dryden said police estimated that the drugs had a value of £720 and a fingerprint was found on the rear of one of the sets of scale that belonged to the defendant.

The court heard how Rutley, of Beechcroft Close, Lingdale, east Cleveland, had been recalled on licence following his arrest to serve the remainder of a 30-month sentence imposed for attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent.

Gary Wood, mitigating, said his client had pleaded guilty to the offence and urged the judge to consider his recall on licence when sentencing him.

Judge Timothy Stead told Rutley that his three year sentence would be reduced due to his guilty plea and time served on remand.

Read next:

“You have a significant record of offences, some of it quite serious, but not for drugs,” he said.

“You have taken part in the process which leads to the supply of heroin to users, not that you were selling directly or owned it.

“You became involved to discharge a debt; you found yourself in difficult circumstances and agreed to look after the heroin.”