A DRUG dealer threw Kinder eggs of crack cocaine and heroin out of a car window while being chased by police through a Worcestershire village.

Leon Brown discarded the containers, which held wraps of the class A drugs, out of the car window after police responded to suspicious activity in Broadway.

The 33-year-old father-of-six admitted possession with intent to supply heroin and crack cocaine and possession of cannabis but was spared an immediate jail at Worcester Crown Court on Friday.

Brown had already served a 30 month prison sentence in 2012 for supplying class A drugs.

However, a judge said that little rehabilitative work could be done in prison during the Covid-19 pandemic and also factored in the defendant's caring responsibilities for his brother, who suffers from mental health problems, profoundly deaf mother and terminally ill godmother when sentencing.

The judge also stressed that he was informed by national guidelines from the Sentencing Council and heard a verbal stand-down report from a probation officer, who did not recommend an immediate custodial sentence, before passing sentence.

Sophie Murray, prosecuting, said police had been following a blue Mazda in Broadway on August 19, 2019 when two Kinder eggs were discarded by the defendant. Those eggs were later recovered and were found to contain 1.24g of heroin and 1.7g of crack cocaine worth £500 if sold in street level deals.

Two phones were seized from the defendant - his personal phone and an unregistered 'burner' phone. The burner phone contained six messages pertaining to drug dealing. His home address was also searched where evidence was found that Brown had been packaging the drugs there.

Brown answered no comment to all questions asked of him by police in interview. Brown also had no driving licence, no insurance and no MOT certificate. He also provided a positive roadside drugs test. All these offences were dealt with at the magistrates court.

William Douglas-Jones, defending, said the messages on the burner phone were 'suggestive of dealing under direction' and that he was 'a runner'. Mr Douglas-Jones said that the previous drugs conviction was 'of significant age' and emphasised Brown's caring responsibilities for his mum, who is profoundly deaf, his brother who has severe mental health difficulties and a godmother who was suffering from advanced terminal cancer.

The barrister went on to argue that a sentence of immediate custody would result in significant harmful impact on others due to Brown's caring responsibilities.

Judge Martin Jackson gave Brown a 25 per cent discount in the length of the custodial term to reflect his pleas of guilty, entered at the earliest opportunity at the crown court.

He added: "You have kept yourself out of trouble for two years. It seems you have got yourself settled down and are engaging with a work coach and motivated to seek employment."

The judge said that, where there was a realistic prospect of rehabilitation, the Sentencing Council guidelines tell us that an alternative to custody should be considered.

Judge Jackson sentenced Brown to 24 months in prison suspended for two years and ordered him to complete 40 rehabilitation activity requirement days and 200 hours of unpaid work.

No order was made for costs due to Brown's limited means. Forfeiture and destruction of the drugs and associated paraphernalia was ordered. In total £60 in cash was confiscated from the defendant.