A ferry passenger is having an extended stay in the island after he was caught trying to smuggle in £11,000 of cocaine.

Adam Sullin, Carnarvon Road in Walton, from Liverpool, only had an overnight bag with him but he will now be spending a significant time in Jurby prison after the drugs were found secreted on his person.

Father-of-two Sullin travelled to the Isle of Man on the Manxman from Heysham on November 29 this year as a foot passenger when he was stopped and arrested. Almost 112 grammes of cocaine in four packages with a street value of £11,070 were found when he was strip searched.

Sullin, 32, had already pleaded guilty to one count of the production of class A drug cocaine and possession of cocaine with intent to supply.

He appeared at the Court of General Gaol Delivery on Friday for sentencing.

Sara-Jayne Dodge, prosecuting, told the court when Sullin was spotted walking though the Sea Terminal police became suspicious and stopped him.

He could not give a reasonable explanation for his visit. He had no links to the island and tried to claim he had a job lined up. But he only had an overnight bag with him.

He was arrested and taken to hospital where he was strip searched and the four packages of cocaine were discovered. Sullin tried to claim the drugs were for personal use.

Defence advocate Lawrie Gelling told the court her client has struggled with substance addiction.

She said he was the sole carer for his mother and also had a baby and a step-daughter to look after.

Miss Gelling said: ‘He is very remorseful and he is devastated by the effect all this will have on his family.’

Deemster Graeme Cook admitted he took no pleasure in jailing Sullin for such a long time with the impact it will have on the defendant’s loved ones.

But he said this was a sophisticated operation to supply class A drugs in the island and told Sullin such a crime can carry a 12-year sentence adding: ‘You have given no explanation for why you did this. Now you are going to miss your children growing up.’

Deemster Cook said he had reduced the sentence due to the remorse Sullin has shown and the references received along with his early guilty plea.

Sullin was jailed for five years eight month and will be excluded from visiting island for five years on his release.