The Liverpool Echo this week reported on the case of a drug dealer who went on the run for three years after blowing a golden opportunity to avoid prison.  

Michael Young, 48, was first arrested in August 2009 after being caught with £4,000 of amphetamines and a small amount of heroin at his Kensington home.

He persuaded a judge he was only minding more than 800g of amphetamines and was given a suspended prison sentence, after admitting possession with intent to supply. Young, a drug addict, was also told to carry out 150 hours unpaid work in the community.

But three and a half months later he was seen by an undercover officer selling drugs on Prescot Road in order to pay off a debt to his dealer when he was arrested he was found to have £220 of heroin and £80 of crack cocaine in his pockets.

He was taken to the police station but gave no comment to detectives who gave him bail while they tested the drugs. Ben Jones, prosecuting, told Liverpool Crown Court that Young then went off the radar and was not found again until last month when a policeman recognised him working at a market stall.

Jonathan Duffy, defending, said Young, who had a bad record for dishonesty, had turned his life around while on the run, adding: Although he has been at large when he ought not to have been he has dealt with that period well. Mr Young panicked. He didnt return to the police station and he stopped going to probation.

THIS ARTICLE IS AN EXTRACT FROM THE LIVERPOOL ECHO – CLICK HERE TO READ THE ORIGINAL