Recovering heroin addict from Redcar with 'one injection mark per year of his life' jailed for drug dealing

A heroin addict-turned-dealer claimed to have injection marks in his arms for each year of his life, a court heard.

Anthony Farrow, 49, realised he could kill himself with a drug habit spanning more than 20 years, Teesside Crown Court heard.

Finally coming off heroin did not save him from an immediate prison sentence yesterday.

Prosecutor Sue Jacobs told how Farrow was caught with heroin three times in four months.

He had a bag containing £28 worth of the Class A drug in his jeans pocket and £80 cash when he was arrested on suspicion of burglary on Queen Street, Redcar on July 22 last year.

Five days later while on police bail, he was spotted in an “exchange” on High Street West, Redcar.

He was seen to throw things on to the grass before he was arrested near a children’s play park.

Police found 4g of heroin in 10 packages, worth £229, and a bag containing £379 cash in the green area, but Farrow denied these were his.

He had £41 worth of heroin and £81 cash on him, and another £40 worth of the drug at his home.

Finally the nervous offender was caught with another £80 worth of heroin, £80 cash and a “tick list” when police searched a Queen Street flat for someone else on October 4 last year.

Farrow, of Coatham Road, Redcar, admitted three charges of possessing Class A drugs with intent to supply.

His 44 previous offences since 1987 included four for heroin possession and one in 2004 for possessing drugs with intent to supply.

Graham Brown, defending, said Farrow was street dealing to feed his own “voracious” drug habit.

He said Farrow had the case hanging over his head for nearly 17 months and was not charged until June this year.

Farrow reached a crossroads, ended his dependency on heroin this year and had been clean for more than 10 months.

Mr Brown added: “His life was hand to mouth.

“At some point he reached a stage that he knew he was either going to kill himself or survive.”

Farrow counted more than 50 pockmarked injection sites on his arms - “one per year of his life” - and decided “that was not the way forward”.

Mr Brown told the court Farrow showed he could change and could be supervised by the Probation Service in a more constructive sentence than prison.

Mr Justice Green said Farrow was “near the very bottom or the lowest rung” of the drug supply chain.

Farrow was jailed for 20 months.