A MAN who was found by police to be in possession of crack cocaine in Colwyn Bay has been jailed.

Gerrard Garrity, 32, of Max Road, Liverpool, was sentenced to 2,045 days’ (roughly five-and-a-half years) imprisonment at Caernarfon Crown Court today (September 22).

He had previously admitted a charge of possessing a controlled class A drug with intent to supply.

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Prosecuting, Myles Wilson told the court that, on October 7, 2022, officers in Colwyn Bay noticed Garrity and another man leave a train at the town’s railway station, before making a succession of phone calls.

Suspicious, the officers identified themselves to Garrity, who ran away, dropping a packet containing 18.4g of crack cocaine as he did.

The drugs were estimated to have a street value of nearly £1,600, the court heard.

His mobile phone was also seized from Garrity, who was arrested, but police were unable to access messages on it.

Mr Wilson added that the man Garrity left the train with was not carrying any drugs on his person at the time, nor did his phone contain incriminating messages.

When interviewed by officers, Garrity made no comment.

Garrity has a “fairly long list of previous convictions” for 47 offences, Mr Wilson added.

Many of these relate to offences of dishonesty, violence and drug possession - in 2011 and 2020, Garrity was also convicted of possession of class A drugs with intent to supply.

Defending, Simon Killeen said that Garrity had been “having some trouble at home”, where he lived with his partner and three children.

His consumption of drugs had led to him accumulating debt, which he was trying to help pay off by supplying the crack cocaine.

“Inevitably, when that (debt) happens, one of the pressures that occurs is that people in those positions are asked to discharge that debt,” Mr Killeen said.

He added that Garrity hopes to return to Liverpool upon his release from prison, and return to the exterior decorating business with which he was engaged.

Sentencing, Judge Petts told Garrity that he had a “poor record”, and also ordered that the drugs and mobile phone seized by police be forfeited and destroyed.