A WOMAN hurled a coffee tin containing thousands of pounds of hard drugs into a neighbour’s garden when police tried to execute a warrant at the flat she shared with her boyfriend.

Police eventually got into the property where they discovered drug paraphernalia, a deals list and more than £2,000 in cash.

Prosecutor Carl Anderson said the following day the neighbour found the tin, thought the contents looked suspicious and the police were called.

The tin contained 15 wraps and four lumps of crack cocaine as well as 25 wraps and 38 grams of loose heroin with a street value of £11,300.

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Daniel Thomas, 21, of Colburn Close, Southampton, and Tara Wilson-Gallagher, 18, of Tunstall Road, Southampton, admitted possessing the class A drugs with intent to supply.

Said to have 17 previous convictions but none for drugs, Thomas was jailed for three and a half years.

His co-accused, whose two previous convictions included one for possessing drugs with intent, was further remanded in custody until March 11 so she could be assessed for a drug rehabilitation sentence.

Judge Peter Ralls QC said he was taking that course in the public interest but warned her she might still face a custodial sentence.

In his basis of plea, Thomas admitted he was a drug addict and had accrued drug debts. He had been holding the drugs for about a week and had given some to a small circle who dealers had put him in touch with.

Wilson-Gallagher claimed she had intended retrieving the tin and returning the drugs to the dealers.

The cash, she added, didn’t belong to her.

The judge ordered the money to be confiscated.