A MAN who hid more than £700,000 worth of heroin in the garage of his girlfriend’s parents’ home has been jailed for eight years.

Ryan Stephen Murphy (24) was sentenced by the Superior Number of the Royal Court, which is convened to hear the most serious cases, after admitting possession of 709 grams of the class A drug with intent to supply.

The court heard yesterday that the Crown was prepared to sentence Murphy, of Clarendon Road, on the basis that he was not aware of the exact contents of the rucksack and believed that it contained a different drug.

During sentencing, former Bailiff and Royal Court Commissioner Sir Philip Bailhache said that Murphy had been entrusted with £709,000 worth of drugs and ‘was clearly close to the dealer’.

‘It was an aggravating factor that you left the heroin at the home of your girlfriend’s parents,’ he said. ‘You knew what you were doing. You were not coerced.’

• See Wednesday’s JEP for full story.