Paul Donnelly was also found in possession of police-style baton when he tried to run away from police after he was spotted interfering with a scooter.
The 39-year-old was quickly apprehended and a search of him revealed he was carrying £1,230 worth of Class A drugs, Teesside Crown Court heard.
Charlie Thompson, prosecuting, said Donnelly had 17 previous drug offences on his record which spanned back 20 years.
“He was arrested on suspicion of theft and possession of the spring-loaded baton,” he said.
“When he was searched, he was found to have a quantity of Class A drugs concealed in his boxer shorts.”
Mr Thompson said a search of the defendant’s mobile phone showed two messages connected to the supply of drugs.
Donnelly, of Bolton Court, Middlesbrough, pleaded guilty to two charges of possession of a Class A drug with intent to supply and one charge of possession of an offensive weapon following his arrest on December 28 last year.
Lee Goodchild, mitigating, said his client was only selling to a close circle of family and friends to fund his own habit.
He said Donnelly carried the drugs with him as he didn’t want his mam to find his stash when she was cleaning his room or doing his laundry.
Donnelly maintained that he was only carrying the baton after his friend passed it to him but the judge dismissed his claim as unbelievable.
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Recorder Andrew Kelbrick sentenced the defendant to a total of three years in custody for all offences.
“You have an enormous previous criminal conviction history, including conviction in 2005 for offences of the same nature – possession of drugs with the intent to supply,” he said.
“You were carrying your stock of drugs because you did not wish your mother to find. You say the baton was handed to you by a friend when it was sticking into him while you were fixing the scooter – that doesn’t really make an awful lot of sense.”
The judge also ordered the seizure and destruction of the drugs and weapon.
