A COUPLE have been jailed for five years after admitting to being in possession of class A drugs with intent to supply.

Scott Hornby, 38 of Broad Close, Barrow and Vicky Arts, 30 of the same address were arrested on February 29 after a raid by drug squad officers on their home.

Inside the house police found a large quantity of opiate drugs as well as other drugs paraphernalia.

Barrow Crown Court heard that as police entered the house, police believed that before they were arrested, they attempted to conceal drugs from officers.

Hornby's determined resistance to arrest and Arts behaving in a strange manner led them to this suspicion.

During a procedural strip search, it was found that Hornby had attempted to hide a plastic bag internally.

He was subsequently taken to Furness General Hospital for a CAT scan to confirm there was a foreign object inside him.

He refused laxative medication and requests by the police to remove the object, however after a time, it was passed and police recovered a wrap of diamorphine.

Arts was also found to have hidden a quantity of drugs internally before she was arrested, which she gave up when searched.

In total the police recovered 75g of drugs in wraps, worth in total around £2,000 in street value.

In mitigation, defence barrister Mr Neil Ronan said: "There's not much to be said in mitigation other than Mr Hornby pleaded guilty at the earliest time possible."

Judge Lunt took into consideration the pleas of the defendants and the rehab they have both undertaken in custody.

She said: "I take into account that there have been some positive matters in the past, but they have not prevented you from further drug dealing.

As this was the third class A drug related offence for the pair, the minimum sentence of seven years in prison was issued, reduced to 5 years seven months on account of the guilty plea.

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