A DRUG dealer who was supplying to fund his own habit was caught when he shiftily drove around an industrial estate in the middle of the night.

Bradwyn Jones was stopped when he drove out of a trading estate in Walworth Road, Andover, on August 11, last year.

The 24-year-old appeared at Winchester Crown Court on Friday after he pleaded guilty to supplying cannabis between March 22 and the night of his arrest.

The prosecutor said: “He was driving around an industrial estate approaching midnight, he drove in and out without having any purpose. It was clear he was under the influence of something, he seemed right upset to be stopped by the police.

“He wanted to return to the car on numerous occasions when police wanted to search it.”

Officers found a number of different quantities of cannabis in the silver BMW he was driving, including a bag containing 14.6 grams with a street value of £120 and a metal box containing the drug worth £1,700, along with scales.

“There was also a mobile phone seized, that phone demonstrates supplying on a regular basis of cannabis.”

Jones is currently banned from driving for 12 months after he was found to be under the influence of cannabis on the night of his arrest. He had 6.9 micrograms per litre of blood, the legal limit is 2.

In mitigation Christopher Pix said: “In terms of substance misuse Mr Jones’ position was that he had some form of addiction and heavy usage of cannabis that got him into this sorry mess, since then, he tells the probation officer and he confirmed to me this morning, that he no longer uses drugs at all.”

He added: “He became a heavy user and for financial reasons because of that he started supplying drugs to friends.”

The court was told that Jones, of Weavers Close, Middle Winterslow, had attended a 12-week course with Turning Point and regrets drug dealing.

The judge, Recorder Robin Sellers that Jones was running his own business selling cannabis.

In sentencing Jones, he said: “This incident is potentially your undoing unless you can salvage it.”

He was given a 12-month prison sentence suspended for 18 months and must also complete 100 hours unpaid work.