A SUSPECTED drink driver was arrested on possession of crack and heroin when he attempted to swallow drug filled condoms after being stopped by police.

A SUSPECTED drink driver was arrested on possession of crack and heroin when he attempted to swallow drug filled condoms after being stopped by police.

Damien Bednell had been driving a van along Star Lane in Ipswich on August 31 last year when officers travelling behind him became suspicious of his manner of driving.

Once he had been stopped officers found aluminium foil, drug residue, a knife and scales in the van.

Officers told him they would search him and at that point he tried to swallow a condom filled with heroin and removed another one filled with crack from elsewhere in his body.

Bednell, 21, of Shotley close, Ipswich pleaded guilty to possession of 2.95 grams of crack and 4.16 grams of heroin and failing to surrender to custody on December 14 last year.

Gareth Davies, prosecuting said: “The van was being driven erratically so the police stopped it. They found drug paraphernalia and told him he was about to be physically searched. He managed to swallow a package and removed a further one from his anus”.

John Hughes, mitigating said: “He has said he is desperate for help and wants assistance for his problem with drugs”.

District Judge David Cooper said: “It appears you want help and there are many agencies you can go to get that help from”.

Bednell was given a community order and an electronic tag running until August 1 this year. He was disqualified from driving for one year and the van was forfeited.