A 'DRUGS courier' who was stopped on the A55 in Flintshire told police "you've got me" before pointing them to £6,000 of cocaine, a court heard.

Peter Carden, of Warbreck Moor in Liverpool, appeared at Mold Crown Court on Friday.

The 38-year-old admitted that on March 6 last year he had in his possession a quantity of cocaine with intent to supply it to another.

Oliver King, prosecuting, told the court on that afternoon, Carden was stopped by police at the A55 Halkyn offslip.

When he got out of the BMW X5, he told officers "you've got me," and told them they would find drugs in the vehicle's glove compartment.

They located a carrier bag containing two amounts of cocaine: 122 grams of 66 per cent purity and 27.8 grams of 76 per cent - worth a total value of almost £6,000.

Mr King said the method of packaging was suggestive that it was a "wholesale quantity ready to be passed on, weighed and then broken down and adulterated for smaller street deals.

He said Carden was "most likely a courier bringing the drugs from outside into North Wales."

police checked his phone and found messages consistent with offering to supply cannabis, but nothing in reference to cocaine.

Reginald Stuart Mills, defending, said his client had grown up around "addiction issues" and had "no role models in his life."

"His father died when he was seven," Mr Mills explained, "and he tells me he has been used throughout his life by his supposed friends.

"He has his own addiction issues, has been drinking from the age of 12 and has accumulated debt through his addictions."

He added Carden has sought support since the offence, and had made progress in addressing his difficulties.

Judge Niclas Parry told Carden: "You have to understand that when you come from Liverpool into North Wales, you're coming into an area blighted by the harm of class A drugs.

"Here, you were delivering nearly £6,000 of high purity drugs.

"The matter is aggravated - you have a poor record, but nothing in this league."

The Judge recognised Carden had made efforts to seek support and cooperated with police.

He handed him a 28 month custodial sentence and ordered that the substances seized, as well as the mobile phone, be destroyed.