A YOUNG man from Winchester has narrowly escaped a prison sentence for drug dealing despite the judge telling him he ought to send out a message for others to learn from.

A court heard how Liam Walker, 19, of Bar End Road, was handed a 16-month sentence, suspended for 18 months, after pleading guilty at an earlier hearing for possession with intent to supply class A drugs.

Prosecutor Rob Welling told the hearing at Winchester on Friday (JUNE 19) how Walker had bought and sold MDMA and ecstasy, as well as amphetamines and ketamine, to fellow students.

Police were called to the defendant’s address in Wickham Terrace after a handy man spotted a box of pills along with a bong and a grinder, the court heard.

They found extensive evidence on his mobile which proved Walker’s wrongdoings.

Mr Welling argued Walker should face a custodial sentence as he also invited students to buy drugs from him, though Jodie Mittell, defending, said such texts were few and argued for a lesser sentence due to his “good character”.

The judge, Mr Recorder Ian Lawrie QC, said: “He is a student, he has a brain. He knows that drugs are silly and dangerous and he sold class A drugs. Whether he was invited, he’s at it and at it for some time.

“What can he do to reassure me he’s not going to go back into this and sell drugs to his friends to fund his own habit?”

Ms Mittell said Walker was “anxious to equip himself with strategies” to cope better around drugs in the future.

“He has stopped taking drugs himself at all,” she said. “It’s something he does not ever want to do again and he comments on the positive effect on him.

“He admitted responsibility at the earliest opportunity and hopes to engage in a constructive course and stop and is happy to do anything this court deems. This is not a young man that the court needs to send to prison immediately. He understands the severity of the courts approach to him.”

The judge called Walker to the stand and asked him why he should not be sent to prison.

“I want to change my life around and do something productive in society,” Walker responded. “I’ve seen the error of my ways and I think I should be given the chance to do that.”

Judge sent him down to the cells “to take a good look at the four walls” while he retired to consider the sentence.

Walker was also handed 120 hours of community service and a victim surcharge, and all the drugs and paraphernalia seized will be destroyed.

The judge added: “If you let me down, believe me I’ll take a less tolerant view. Do you understand? It’s clear that you have future promise if you apply your mind to your future education. Make sure you put your life in order and repay your parents the trust which they have bestowed upon you. You’re free to go.”