A MAN who escaped a jail term after hiding cocaine in his underwear was told to flush the rest of his drugs down the toilet.

Adam Evans, of St John’s Road, Wallingford, appeared at Oxford Crown Court yesterday after admitting possession of cannabis and cocaine on April 8.

Prosecutor Dominic Benthall said police officers in Wallingford noticed a “strong smell” of cannabis coming from a vehicle at about 10.20am.

He said Evans was the passenger in the car and admitted to officers at the scene he had a quantity of cannabis before trying to run off. The prosecutor said one wrap of cocaine was found on the 24-year-old before a strip search found a further three wraps in his underwear.

Mr Benthall said Evans told officers he had picked up the cannabis from “another unknown user” the day before.

Defence barrister Timothy Boswell said Evans, who suffers with depression, had stitches at the John Radcliffe Hospital following his arrest for “very nasty injuries” to his lip, knee and face.

He said Evans, who did not have any previous convictions, is also a “father figure” to a baby who is not his.

Judge Peter Ross said: “You are a young man who foolishly had been dabbling in the world of drugs for far too long.

“I have no doubt that now the terror of these proceedings is over, your recovery will be speedy. The cannabis use has got to step down. When you get home, flush it down the loo.”

Evans was ordered to carry out 60 hours unpaid work and was made subject to a prohibited activity requirement, forbidding him to possess or consume any unlawful drug.

Judge Ross also ordered for the drugs to be forfeited.