Jailed Dinnington man ‘author of his own misfortune’

Scott Hunt (39) had been troubled with a heroin and drink addiction for several years and accepted he was “the author of his own misfortune”, his barrister Mr Dermot Hughes told Sheffield Crown Court.

“Since February last year there has been a marked decline in his health and he is now largely confined to a wheelchair,” Mr Hughes said.

“He has a single cell while on remand at Doncaster Prison but the prison and its facilities were not designed to accommodate wheelchair users.”

Hunt appeared in his wheelchair over a videolink to court and admitted possessing heroin with intent to supply and failing to surrender to bail.

He was jailed for 30 months.

Police raided his house at The Crescent, Dinnington, on February 10 last year and officers saw him go across a landing and heard the toilet flushing, the court heard.

A golf ball-sized wrap of heroin was later recovered from a sewer pipe in the back garden and another was found in Hunt’s bedroom, along with £230 cash and two mobile phones.

Ms Stephanie Hollis, prosecuting, said the drugs were worth just over £1,000 on the streets.

Hunt claimed the drugs were for his own use and the cash was his but, in reality, he was storing the drugs for a third party.

He had been jailed for two years in February, 2007, for possessing heroin with intent to supply, but had no further drug convictions since then, the court was told.

Mr Hughes said since his arrest he had undergone a detoxification programme and was now receiving hospital treatment for his medical problems.

“He has very badly damaged legs but doesn’t complain of anything because he knows he is the author of his own misfortune,” he said.

Hunt was concealing the drugs at his house for a third party and was at his mother’s house when he failed to turn up for a court hearing, the court heard.

“He is going to suffer for the rest of his days by reason of his self-inflicted wounds,”  said Mr Hughes.

Judge Paul Watson said: “Prison will be harsh on you but these misfortunes are largely of your own making.

“You knew what the wrap was and you were looking after it and knew what would happen when it went back - it was going to find its way onto the streets.”

The judge said a serious aggravating feature was Hunt’s previous drugs conviction.