Jail for West Bromwich drug dealer who hid cocaine in his pants

After he had been arrested at the Holiday Inn in Stafford, Liam White tried to conceal bags of cocaine in his underwear, a court was told.

He claimed that they were for his own benefit at the time but later admitted to being a drug dealer.

Police were called to the hotel at Acton Gate after reports of a man who was armed with a knife.

The defendant had £309 in cash on him in a sealed bag and two mobile phones, said Mr Nicholas Berry, prosecuting.

He was later searched at the police station and found hidden in his underpants were a total of six bagged-up deals of cocaine with a street value of £320, Stafford Crown Court heard.

White, aged 30, of Scafell Way, West Bromwich, admitted possessing drugs with intent to supply.

Judge Carmel Wall told him that class A drug were the 'scourge of society' and it had to be an immediate custodial sentence.

In a basis of plea, White said he had been a user of drugs but no longer used them having undergone a self-detox.

He had funded his habit by selling some of his drugs to other drug users.

But he insisted that he did not have a large network of clients.

Mr Berry said the police were called to the Holiday Inn on January 18 this year to a report of a disturbance in which a knife had been produced.

When they got there, the incident had calmed down.

But people at the scene directed them to one of the guest's rooms – where White was arrested and taken into custody.

At the police station he asked to use the toilet, but when told he would not be left on his own, he returned to the custody suite protesting to officers.

When told he was going to be strip searched, he started to cough.

He then claimed he was ill and had swallowed some cocaine, the court heard.

He was taken to the toilet to attempt to be sick.

The body search revealed the bags of cocaine in his underpants, which the defendant claimed to be for personal use.

One of White's mobile phones contained a 'tick list' with nine names on it and text messages relating to drug deals.

Mr Stephen Rudge, who was defending, said his client had been caught 'red handed', but had now completely changed his lifestyle as a result of this offence, including quitting the use of drugs.