A DRUG dealer was caught with more than £1,000 of heroin stashed in a JD Sports bag at a shopping centre.

Conor Bassnett claimed that the 93 wraps of the class A substance were for personal use after being searched by police at Birchwood Shopping Centre.

It came after the 27-year-old was arrested by officers over an ‘unrelated matter’ at the scene in June last year.

The drugs had an estimated street value of £1,120.

 

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Bassnett, of Liverpool, has now been locked up for five-and-a-half years after being convicted of possession of heroin with intent to supply by a jury.

He was jailed on Friday, June 10, following a two-day trial at Liverpool Crown Court.

Detective Sergeant Tom Hall said: “Unfortunately Bassnett is well known to police officers in Warrington due to his prolific offending.

“On this occasion, he was found to clearly be involved in the supply of class A drugs despite his claim the heroin was for his own personal use.

“Thankfully, the jury could see this was a lie and he is now beginning his sentence in prison away from the streets of Warrington.”