Drug dealer caught with cocaine in jacket jailed

Christopher Hynes was sentenced at Douglas Courthouse on Thursday

A drug dealer who was caught with cocaine separated out into deals in his jacket pocket has been jailed for three years and 11 months.

Christopher Hynes, 55, of Castletown, was arrested when police visited his home on 26 April 2023.

Douglas Courthouse heard he had originally claimed the jacket belonged to someone else but was found guilty after a trial.

Deemster Graeme Cook said Hynes had told “one lie after another”.

The court heard Hynes, of Maynrys, was caught with the drugs when police went to his home to speak to him about an unrelated matter.

The cocaine worth about £500 was found in nine separate deals, eight of which were held inside a large plastic wrap in his coat pocket.

A further search of his home revealed a set of weighing scales, which also tested positive for traces of the drug.

He was found guilty of possession of cocaine with intent to supply after a trial.

Hynes’ defence advocate said he was a long-term drug user but had been clean for six months and his interaction with Manx Care drug and alcohol team had been a “positive move”.

Jailing him, deemster Cook said there was little that could be put forward in mitigation as he was still denying the offence.