A MAN HAS been sentenced to 16 months for having £7,000 worth of cocaine hidden in a running shoe at his home last year.

Peter Gallagher Junior, who was living at Tranarossan Avenue in Derry, admitted a charge of possession of a Class A drug with intent to supply.

The home of the 23-year-old was searched on 7 August last year, officers found a sports bag in the kitchen containing a pair of trainers.

One trainer had a sandwich bag stuffed into its toe. When detectives opened the bag, they found it contained a small block of cocaine with an estimated street value of around £7,000.

Gallagher Junior was sentenced to 16 months and given a further two months in respect of previous suspended sentences.

The total of 18 months will be split between 9 months in jail and 9 months on licence.

The officer leading the investigation, Detective Inspector Tom McClure, said:“Drugs wreck lives and we are determined to work with partners and communities to reduce the threat posed by these illegal and harmful substances.

We will continue to investigate those who seek to make money from illegal drugs and we will work to put them before the courts so that they suffer the financial and custodial consequences of their criminal activity.