A NORTH London man who travelled to Salisbury to sell more than £1,000-worth of drugs and then was found with more drugs when he answered bail has been given a suspended sentence Ahmed Farid, 24, of Holcroft Road, Hackney, pleaded guilty to multiple charges of possession with intent to supply cocaine and heroin and possession of cannabis and cocaine at Salisbury Crown Court on Thursday.

He was arrested in Salisbury on September 20 last year when a police officer saw two men he suspected of being involved in drugs.

Officers went to the Salisbury address of one of the men and saw Farid put his arm out of an upstairs window and something on the window ledge behind some ivy. He was also seen throwing another smaller package out of the window.

Police found packages containing 26 wraps of crack cocaine, with an estimated street value of £540, two wraps of cocaine worth £40 and 49 wraps of heroin, with a street value of £490. The small package he had thrown out the window contained 2.5g of cannabis.

When he was searched at the police station, officers found £280 in cash on him. He denied any knowledge of the packages hidden in the ivy but forensic examinations revealed two of his fingerprints on the heroin wraps.

He returned to Salisbury in November to answer bail and his suspicious behaviour caused a police officer to search him, finding small amounts of cocaine and herbal cannabis.

Farid, who has 11 previous convictions, was already subject to an 18-month community order imposed on April 29 for another drug offence, but the court heard he has been trying to turn his life around.

Judge Christopher Clark QC said: “It is clear from the pre-sentence report that he has been doing his level best since the end of April to comply with that order.

“These are two serious offences but I’m prepared to allow the existing order to continue. It is in everyone’s interest that the good work that has been done be allowed to continue.”

For possession with intent to supply crack cocaine and heroin he sentenced Farid to 12 months imprisonment, suspended for 12 months. For two lesser possession charges he was sentenced to one and two months, also suspended. He also ordered him to do 150 hours unpaid work.

Judge Clark QC added: “I want to encourage you to keep away from drugs and engage in weekly drug screening. I hope that you are now motivated to change your lifestyle for good. If you go back to your old ways, you are certain to go to prison.”