Watch more of our videos on Shots!
and live on Freeview channel 276

Anthony Hughes, 32, formerly of Church Street, was entrusted with the enormous haul of class A drugs by higher-ups in the criminal underworld so he could pay off a drug debt, Sheffield Crown Court heard.

But his plan to stash the wares at his dad’s Rotherham home went awry when South Yorkshire Police raided the house looking for evidence.

Officers burst in on Terrence Hughes, 62, of Church Street, trying to flush tens of thousands of pounds of cocaine down the toilet in a bid to get rid of evidence against his son.

Terrence Hughes (R) tried to protect his drug-dealing son Anthony (L) by flushing up to £40,000 of drugs down the toilet when police arrived to raid his home in Rotherham

At the pair’s sentencing on October 22, the court heard how Anthony Hughes was initially picked up by police in Barnsley in January 2019 where he was caught with 95 wraps of crack cocaine and heroin.

He was released on bail – but was soon told by his ‘higher-ups’ that he now had a debt to pay for losing their product.

He was entrusted with tens of thousands of pounds of Class A wares with orders to sell them to pay off his debt.

"He has been used by those above him for a period of time,” said prosecutor Richard Neil Sheldon. “And those above him told him he had an obligation to recoup their losses.”

A father and son have been sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court after stashing over £40,000 of drugs at their home.

The 32-year-old opted to hide the haul at his father Terrence’s home – only for police to raid the house on December 1, 2020.

And with the police outside, the 62-year-old decided he had to destroy as much evidence as possible to protect his son.

Mr Sheldon said: “Officers caught Terrance pouring drugs into the toilet bowl. They prevented him from flushing it.

"In the toilet bowl was 112 bags of diamorphine and two large bags of crack cocaine amounting to 50 grams.

Anthony Hughes was jailed for five years after he was entrusted with more than £40,000 worth of crack cocaine and heroin by his higher ups in the criminal underworld.

"In all, across the house, over £40,000 of drugs were recovered.”

Anthony Hughes was soon after arrested from his own home address and later pleaded guilty to supplying class A drugs. His defence barrister said that since the incident, the 32-year-old had now weaned himself off his addiction to class A drugs.

There was no evidence Terrence Hughes was also dealing, but he pleaded guilty to allowing the drugs to be stored at his house.

Terrence Hughes was spared prison and handed a 12-month community order.

Terrence Hughes was handed a community order for attempting to flush up to £40,000 of drugs to protect his son when the police arrived at his home.

In sentencing, recorder Mr Gurdial Singh said to Terrence Hughes: “Were it not for your limited basis of involvement, your sentence would be one measured in years.”

But turning to Anthony Hughes – who appeared over a video link from prison – the judge said: “You fall into an entirely different category.

"The courts must pass sentences to eradicate the streets of drugs.

"Class A drugs bring no benefit to anyone save for that immediate high. They cause criminality, addiction and poverty.

"A substantial sentence is called for.”

Anthony Hughes was sentenced to five years in prison.

All the drugs and paraphernalia found in Terrence Hughes’ house – including scales and wraps – were ordered to be destroyed.

Police catch Rotherham dad trying to flush £40,000 of crack and heroin 'to protect' drug dealing son