A drug user found with cannabis inside a Kinder egg after going to Martlesham police investigation centre to answer bail for a theft offence has been jailed.

Ipswich Star: A Kinder egg with cannabis in lands man in jailA Kinder egg with cannabis in lands man in jail (Image: Archant)

Magistrates heard Gary Youngs, of Hadleigh Road, Ipswich, had to secrete the Kinder egg on his person as he was not expecting to be charged and remanded in custody for two days before his court appearance.

The 46-year-old was left trying to hold on to the egg for two days before his hearing on the following Monday, but was unable to do so.

Youngs then tried to conceal it in his sock, but an officer watching a CCTV screen had seen him.

Prosecutor Colette Harper said Youngs, who had 133 previous convictions, said after the officer saw him at a sink in his cell Youngs was searched and the egg containing cannabis along with subutex, a heroin medication, was found in his sock.

John Hughes, representing Youngs, said his client had been originally arrested on October 3 for two shop thefts and charged with one of them.

He appeared in court on October 4 and was given a six-week suspended prison term.

Youngs had been given a short police bail for the other shop theft and had to report back to police on October 8.

Mr Hughes said Youngs was charged and thought he would be released on bail until his next court appearance.

However it was decided to remand him in custody over the weekend until Monday, October 10, so Youngs had tried to hold on to the Kinder egg, but failed.

When Youngs appeared in court on October 10 he was convicted of the second theft.

During Youngs’ latest appearance at South East Suffolk Magistrates’ Court he pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis and subutex.

He also admitted breaching the suspended sentence he was given on October 4.

Magistrates activated Youngs’ suspended sentence and gave him a further four weeks in custody for the drug offences.

In total Youngs was sentenced to a total of 10 weeks’ imprisonment.

At the end of the hearing the prosecution asked for forfeiture and destruction of the drugs, as well as the Kinder egg.