A North Tyneside man now in prison for robbery was found with almost £8,000 worth of heroin after police raided his home.

Officers found class A and class C drugs when they executed a warrant at Paul Miller's property in North Shields.

Newcastle Crown Court heard how heroin and Etizolam were found at the premises on Wallsend Road. The 42-year-old was not present at the time but his DNA was discovered on the opiate drug.

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Annelise Haugstad, prosecuting, told the court how 156 grams of heroin and scales were at the address. She said: "The street value of the drug is said, by the police, to be £7,800."

She said the heroin was sent off for analysis and DNA belonging to Miller was found as part of a mixed profile. The prosecutor said that Etizolam tablets, with a street value of £2,000, were also found by officers during the raid on on July 30, 2021.

Ms Haugstad said: "The defendant was arrested and taken to the police station. He made no comment."

Miller, of Wallsend Road, North Shields, pleaded guilty to possessing a controlled drug of class A with intent and possessing a controlled drug of class C with intent. He admitted the offences on the basis that he was warehousing the drugs.

Miller had 51 previous convictions for 186 offences, which included possession of class A drugs.

The court in Newcastle heard how he is currently serving a prison sentence of five and a half years for robbery and other matters. They were committed in January 2022 - while he was on bail for this offence.

Brian Mark, defending, told the court how Miller's house was used for storage and he was a "passenger in his own ship".

He said: "This was related to his drug addiction. He was a drug user and that flat was used. He was never going to make financial gain."

Mr Mark said there had been a two year delay in bringing the case back to court. He urged the judge to hand him a concurrent prison sentence - which will be served at the same time as the one he is serving now.

He said: "There is a delay, which is not his fault, and the effects on him. He has to face this again. This is to do with his drug addicted past. It's something he's built from.

"He was worried about a consecutive sentence. He's looking forward to his rehabilitation, to get back with his partner and he's working very hard."

Judge Gavin Doig handed Miller a 10 month consecutive sentence for the class A offence. He will serve the 10 months in addition to the prison sentence which he is already serving.

For the class C offence, the judge handed Miller a three month concurrent prison sentence. This will be served at the same time as the class A offence.

He will also have to pay a £156 surcharge within 14 days of his release from prison.