June 27, 2017 3.41 pm This story is over 81 months old

Teen with ‘appalling criminal record’ jailed after being caught with heroin in kinder eggs

A teenager who was caught with 15 wraps of heroin in Lincoln city centre was sentenced to two and half years in a young offenders institution. Declan Massingham, 18, was arrested in the Cornhill Quarter during October 2015 after he was spotted acting suspiciously on CCTV. Lincoln Crown Court heard Massingham was found to be…
Declan Massingham. Photo: Lincolnshire Police

A teenager who was caught with 15 wraps of heroin in Lincoln city centre was sentenced to two and half years in a young offenders institution.

Declan Massingham, 18, was arrested in the Cornhill Quarter during October 2015 after he was spotted acting suspiciously on CCTV.

Lincoln Crown Court heard Massingham was found to be in possession of a kinder egg which contained 15 wraps of heroin weighing 2.68 grams in total.

Phil Howes, prosecuting, said the weight of the wraps varied widely from 0.09 grams to 0.26 grams.

Massingham, who had previously been caught with illegal tablets, was granted bail but re-arrested two weeks later when he was again carrying a kinder egg.

This time the kinder egg was found to contain just a single wrap of heroin weighing 0.12 grams, Mr Howes told the court.

Massingham, of no fixed address, admitted possessing a Class A drug with intent to supply on October 16, 2015.

He also pleaded guilty to three drugs possession charges and having a bladed article between September 25 and October 30, 2015.

Karen Walton, mitigating, said Massingham’s mother had attended court to support him but was unable to have him at home once he started using drugs.

Miss Walton said the most serious offence was committed when Massingham was just 16 and he had responded to some supervision.

She added: “Now an adult he has been on remand in Lincoln Prison which has been a rude awakening.

“The Class A offence has put the fear of God in to him. But he was then very much a juvenile, he was 16, not 18.”

Passing sentence, Deputy Judge Michael Stokes QC told Massingham the time for leniency was over.

The judge said: “For some one so young you have a quite appalling criminal record.

“You have 27 previous court appearances including possession of a Class A drug and numerous offences of theft.

“You have been dealt with immeasurable leniency in the past. The time for leniency is at an end.”