Darren Watkinson, 37, of Humphris Street, Warwick, was jailed on Monday at Warwick Crown Court. He had previously admitted possessing heroin with intent to supply it and supplying heroin and crack.

Prosecutor Matthew Brook said that Watkinson was caught in March last year when the police searched a car coming off the M40 at Longbridge island near Warwick.

They did not find anything in the car but Watkinson, who was the passenger, was taken to the police station where he took a wrap of crack cocaine from in his sock.

He claimed that was all he had, but when he was strip-searched officers found a bag containing 12.5grams of heroin worth £1,250 between his buttocks.

After first denying it was an illegal drug, he said he had gone to Birmingham to buy it for £350 for his own use because the heroin available in Leamington at the time had been dangerously cut and was killing people.

Although he later admitted possessing the heroin with intent to supply it, he claimed in a pre-sentence report it was for his own use but that he would have supplied some to his brother.

Mr Brook said the prosecution did not accept this on the grounds that Watkinson was on benefits at the time and the heroin had a street value of £1,250.

And while Watkinson was on bail for that offence, an undercover officer known as Craig contacted Watkinson's brother, from whom he had previously bought drugs, and was told he could buy good quality crack from a woman dealer whom he named.

Mr Brook said that at a meeting then arranged with her, Watkinson was given wraps of heroin and crack cocaine and supplied them to Craig.

In mitigation, Nicholas Barker said: "He has an addiction which goes back 15 years. He steals to buy drugs, and is then involved in drug dealing to get drugs for his own personal use."

Mr Barker added that Watkinson stood by his claim that he was not a dealer, but when the defendant declined to give evidence about his intention to supply the drug, Judge Marten Coates rejected this.

He said he would deal with him on the basis that he was a supplier, but not involved on a "managerial" basis.

He told him: "You were in possession of half an ounce of heroin with a street value of £1,250. You come to court on the basis that it was for you and your brother. I cannot accept that.

"The fact that you are a street supplier is shown by the offence you committed while on bail when you supplied an undercover officer with heroin and crack."