A drug dealer has been jailed almost four years after he absconded from the island.

Joe Alan Murro had appeared in court in May 2021 accused of being involved in supplying cocaine.

But he failed to appear for his next court hearing and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

That warrant was only executed in January this year when Murro was arrested in the UK.

Deemster Graeme Cook said he had ‘essentially absconded for four years’ - and questioned why it had take so long to execute the warrant.

Murro, 38, of Mill Lane, Stalmine, Poulton-le-Fylde, Lancashire, entered a guilty plea in February to being concerned in the supply of cocaine between September and November 2020.

Prosecutor Hazel Carroon said the defendant had initially been arrested for other matters in November 2020, but an analysis of his mobile phone had found evidence of his involvement in supplying cocaine.

He was interviewed at that time and admitted that he received three bags of the drug, weighing 0.5 grams each, a week.

Murro said that he would sell two and keep one for himself as payment.

Four people sold the cocaine on his behalf.

He told police that he never received any cash and that cocaine was his payment.

Defence advocate Kaitlyn Shimmin said her client had been an alcoholic with a serious cocaine addiction living in a bedsit who had absconded because of his circumstances.

Since moving to the UK, he had reduced his drinking and stopped taking cocaine.

He was a qualified gas fitter who had got himself a very good job, she added.

Jailing him for three years and six months, Deemster Cook told him: ‘I accept some evidence of remorse. You seem to be turning your life around.’