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A man found in charge of a “drug warehouse” in Hartlepool has been jailed for almost three years.

Gary Rowbotham, 35, let drug dealers use an address in Furness Street to supply a range of illegal substances to addicts including heroin, cocaine and ecstasy.

He was caught inside the address surrounded by thousands of pounds worth of drugs in a police raid in March 2020.

Chris Baker, prosecuting, at Teesside Crown Court, said: “Mr Rowbotham was present inside the address.

Gary Rowbotham, from Hartlepool, was jailed at Teesside Crown Court.

"Recovered was 82.4 grams of diamorphine from a plastic bag.”

A police drugs officer said it had a street value of between £1,920 and £2,740.

Also found in the house were 91 ecstasy tablets valued at around £2,000, cocaine with a street value of £1,300 and a 925g bag of amphetamine worth up to £9,240 on the street.

Over 1,700 tablets of a sedative used as a heroin substitute were also found along with scales, mobile phones and over £1,300 cash.

A range of drugs were supplied from a house in Furness Street, Hartlepool. Picture by FRANK REID

Rowbotham denied supplying the drugs directly himself but accepted allowing access to the address to other people.

Police were led to it after an undercover officer was supplied with a £10 heroin deal from the house by an addict.

A stun gun was also found which Rowbotham said he had for “protection”.

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Judge Timothy Stead said it was clear the drug dealing operation had been going on for some time.

He told Rowbotham: “There has been in effect a shop or at least a warehouse for a range of drugs, class A in particular.

"Putting it in monetary terms, it amounts to thousands of pounds worth.

“You could hardly fail to be aware of the scale of what was going on from those premises which you were allowing to happen.”

Rowbotham, of Lowthian Road, Hartlepool, admitted being concerned in the supply of class A, B and C drugs, and having the stun gun.

He has a lengthy record although Martin Scarborough, mitigating, said his client had no previous convictions for supplying drugs.

“He’s under the direction of others,” said Mr Scarborough. He also pointed out the offences now go back over two years.

Rowbotham was jailed for a total of 35 months, which included eight months for having the stun gun.

Hartlepool man found in drugs 'warehouse' during Cleveland Police raid is jailed at Teesside Crown Court