A drug dealer convicted by a jury after police found nine wraps of cocaine worth £500 in his coat pocket, has been jailed for 47 months.

Christopher James Hynes, 55, wept as he was sent down.

The Court of General Gaol Delivery heard that police had caused to attend his home at School Hill, Castletown, in April last year.

He was asked to take off his coat and a search of it found nine wraps of a white powder in the right hip pocket.

This white powder was subsequently established to be 5.1g of high purity cocaine with a street value of £501. Weighing scales found in his home were also tested and found to have traces on cocaine on the surface.

Hynes denied possession of the class A drug with intent to supply but was found guilty following a jury trial.

Deemster Graeme Cook told him that there was strong evidence that he had been involved in supplying drugs.

He said: ‘You still deny your involvement in such an occupation but the jury found differently.’

Defence advocated Paul Glover said his client had been a long-term drug user but had been clean for the 16-17 months since his arrest.

He said: ‘He is clearly someone who has benefited from the guidance of the agencies.’

The Deemster listed mitigating factors as being the small quantity of drugs found, the defendant’s mental health problems, the lack of any relevant or recent previous convictions and the fact that he had been seeking help for his addiction. The case had also been subject to some delay.

Deemster Cook jailed Hynes for 47 months and told him he would serve half his sentence before being eligible for automatic release.