A FORMER heroin addict who turned back to drugs to help him through a bad patch has appeared in court.

Mark McVay, 34, of Hammond Drive, Darlington, appeared before the town’s magistrates’ court today (Tuesday, March 19) to plead guilty to possession of heroin and cannabis.

The court heard that police stopped and searched McVay on March 9 and found four grams of heroin in his pocket.

Officers then searched his house and found the cannabis.

Mitigating, Stephen Andrews said McVay had had weaned himself off heroin, but had sought solace in the drug when his relationship broke down and he lost his job and home.

Magistrates fined him £100 for the heroin possession, £65 for the cannabis offence and ordered him to pay £85 court costs and a £20 victim surcharge.