A MAN who went on the run after he was found in possession of £14,000 worth of ecstasy tablets has been spared jail.

Ivan Johnson, 25, was arrested by police on September 10, 2001, following a raid on a house in Whessoe Walk, Stockton.

Police recovered 1,793 ecstasy tablets from the kitchen and 21 tablets from a bedroom.

Johnson was charged by police and attended court in June 2002 to be sentenced, but left before he was due to appear.

A warrant was issued for his arrest and he was tracked down by police and arrested on September 23 this year.

Yesterday, at Teesside Crown Court, Johnson was given an 18-month sentence, suspended for two years by Judge Richard Lowden.

The court was told that Johnson, of Wren Street, Stockton, had turned his life around in the intervening period, having suffered mental health problems at the time of his crime.

Peter Sabiston, for Johnson, said: "He is a completely reformed character, a working man now.

"He was previously in debt to the wrong type of people and when he appeared at court, it was too much for him and he turned on his heels."

The court was told that Johnson, who admitted possession of a class A drug with intent to supply and possession, had been looking after the drugs for two days for someone.

Judge Lowden said Johnson had not financially benefited from the drugs and said he was minded to take into account the "exceptional" circumstances in his case.

He ordered that the tablets be confiscated and that Johnson pay £400 court costs.