Harley Cox, 20, was approached by police as he walked from the Walcha races to the bowling club in February, last year.

Asked if he had any drugs on him, Cox told police he did not, but said he had "some ecstasy tablets" at home.

Facts tendered in sentencing in Tamworth District Court show Cox was arrested and taken to a Lagoon Street home.

It was there Cox told police: "Yeah go in, I'll show you where the pills are," and took officers to a cabinet in the bathroom.

It was there that police found two-and-a-half brown coloured tablets. Tests later revealed the tablets contained the drug MDA.

Asked if he had more drugs, Cox told police the rest were in the manhole near the toilet.

Agreed facts show that after reaching around for some time in the manhole, Cox appeared shocked when the drugs weren't there.

"I checked them last night and they were there. I don't know where they are now," Cox told officers.

It wasn't until a police officer accidentally hit a canvas in the dining area that the rest of the drugs were found.

While the officer attempted to straighten up the artwork, a bag with a number of brown tablets fell onto the floor.

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According to the facts, Cox didn't know how the tablets came to be behind the painting in full view of the loungeroom. He later told police he spent around $1100 on the 43.5 ecstasy tablets. A forensic analysis confirmed the total weight to be 11.11g.

In sentencing this week, Judge Jeffery McLennan convicted Cox of the drug supply, and ordered a 12-month community corrections order.

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