A DRUG dealer was caught fast asleep in bed during a dawn raid by police.

John Inker, 32, was arrested at a house in the Maesglas area of Newport with 33 wraps of heroin which had a street value of between £670 and £770.

Martha Smith-Higgins, prosecuting, told Cardiff Crown Court: “It was on April 8 of this year that police officers executed a search warrant at a house on Maesglas Road.

“When they arrived they found this defendant in a bedroom asleep.

MORE NEWS: Chip shop worker caught with ‘vast’ amount of drugs and designer clothes

“From that room, they recovered telephones, a quantity of white wraps, £360 in cash and a small bag of cannabis.

“On arrest, the defendant told the police that those drugs were for personal use.

“He said that one phone was used to contact his friends and the other for music.”

Miss Smith-Higgins said drug-related messages were found on a Nokia phone.

“There were discussions with another about where to store class A drugs,” she added.

“And there were discussions with another individual about a debt being owed.”

Inker, of Wharf Road, Newport pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply heroin and possession of cannabis.

The defendant has 30 previous convictions for 59 offences, 18 being drug-related.

He has two previous drug trafficking convictions.

In 2006 he was convicted of supplying cannabis and in 2015 he was jailed for possession with intent to supply heroin and possession with intent to supply amphetamine.

Ben Waters for Inker said his client’s life had been blighted by addiction.

“The defendant grew up with two older siblings who were involved in the misuse of drugs,” he revealed.

His barrister added: “He has been reliant on state benefits all of his adult life.

“There was no evidence of any trappings of a lavish lifestyle.”

The judge, Recorder David Warner, told Inker: “You were selling directly to users.”

The defendant was jailed for three years.

The court ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the drug and the forfeiture of the cash by Gwent Police.

Inker must pay a £228 victim surcharge following his release from prison.