A 22-year-old man accused of dropping a package containing more than 90 wraps of crack cocaine and heroin over a fence in an alleyway in Ipswich has been given a suspended prison sentence.

Tyrone Reid-Poleron, of Langhedge Lane, Edmonton, had denied possessing heroin and crack cocaine with intent to supply in Ipswich on October 28, 2019, possessing heroin and crack cocaine with intent to supply in Southend-on-Sea in Essex on February 24, 2019 and being concerned in the supply of heroin and crack cocaine between January 1 and February 25, 2019.

He was found guilty of all offences by a jury on October 9 last year.

The court had previously heard that that Reid-Poleron was seen by a police officer to drop a package containing wraps of heroin and cocaine over a fence in an alleyway in Waterloo Road in Ipswich in October 2019.

Appearing for sentencing at Ipswich Crown Court on Friday, Judge David Pugh told Reid-Poleron: “The case you had put before the jury was that you were the subject of modern slavery.

“Evidence was called in support of that and I accept from that evidence there was some element of pressure or coercion, but the jury in my judgment rightly found that it fell well short of what was required for a modern slavery defence.”

Reid-Poleron was given a suspended prison sentence for a period of two years, with 35 days of rehabilitation activity requirements, 250 hours of unpaid work, a curfew between 7pm and 7am for a period of 12 months and an electronically monitored tag for 12 months.

Judge Pugh added at the end of the sentencing: “I don’t want to see you back so make sure you don’t breach any of these requirements or commit any offence.”