A LARGE haul of high purity cocaine was found by police executing a search warrant at a house on the run in to Christmas, a court was told.

Fourteen bags containing 164-grammes of the class A drug were discovered in a concealed box in a bedroom of the property in The Grove, Consett, County Durham, on December 20, 2012.

Durham Crown Court was told the cocaine’s average purity was between 65 and 71 per cent, and likely to be reduced by two-thirds for street sale purposes.

Chris Baker, prosecuting, said it could fetch between £8,200 and £25,000, depending on the quantity in which it was sold.

Traces of cocaine were also found on digital scales, a grinder and electric blender, plus attachments, while three smaller bags containing class C drugs, considered “imitators” of ecstasy, were recovered in the raid.

Mr Baker told the court that “of significance”, a notebook was found containing an apparent dealer’s list, featuring names and amounts owed, varying from £25 to £3,500.

The occupier of the bedroom, Robert Flanagan, was not present when the raid took place, but he handed himself into police eight days later.

Flanagan claimed a man dropped the drugs off at his house the night before the police raid and he expected him to pick them up the following day.

But at a plea hearing, on December 20 last year, exactly 12-months after the raid, 24-year-old Flanagan, of Pemberton Avenue, admitted possessing cocaine with intent to supply and three counts of possession of a class C drug.

Tony Davis, mitigating, said there was no evidence of high-living or recovery of substantial amount of cash, although Flanagan’s own use of the cocaine had “spiralled out of control”, acquiring “significant debts” along the way.

Judge Robert Adams jailed him for three years and nine months and ordered forfeiture and destruction of the recovered drugs and paraphernalia.