A DRUG dealer who was caught with hundreds of pounds worth of stock when the car he was in was stopped by police has been spared jail.

James Buckby, 27, was one of five young men in the vehicle when police officers pulled it over in Elgin Drive on the afternoon of Tuesday, May 13.

In a bag Buckby was found to have ecstasy, diazepam - the chemical name for valium - ketamine and former legal high Alpha-PVP.

But after hearing that the defendant had taken steps to rid himself of his drug addiction, and also found work, a judge imposed a community order.

Tessa Hingston, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court the car was stopped as it had no insurance and the driver appeared to hide his face from them as they passed.

She said the occupants were described as 'incoherent' and it was thought they were under the influence of drugs.

In a bag officers found the 551mg of ecstasy other class C drugs, including 394mg of ketamine, 687mg of Alpha-PVP and 72 tablets of diazepam.

His phone was examined it found to be littered with text messages advertising drugs for sale as well as receiving and sending orders to buy and sell.

When he was questioned he said he was a heavy user of ecstasy, known as MDMA, and would also take valium and other things at parties.

Although most of what was found on his was for his own use he would sell some of the ketamine, diazepam and Alpha-PVP to friends.

"He said he had been around drugs since the age of 12 and was desperately wanting some help," she said.

"He said MDMA had such an effect on him it had crystallised in his bladder and he was peeing blood."

Buckby, of Witney, Oxfordshire, pleaded guilty to possessing class B drug Alphas PVP and class C drugs ketamine and diazepam with intent to supply as well as simple possession of ecstasy.

Sushill Kumar, defending, said: "Mr Buckby is a man who is very much willing to address the issues that put him in this situation.

"There is a letter to confirm his full time employment and a letter or reference with steps taken to address his offending, both off his own bat."

Passing sentence Recorder John Trevaskis said: "You are someone who has no previous criminal involvement with controlled drugs and indeed no real criminal history at all.

"Or at least that was the case until today. You now have a criminal record and that is something you are going to have to learn to live with.

"You came very close today to going to prison. These are very serious offences, particularly the supply of controlled drugs to others.

"You have taken steps to address your own addiction, you have a job which is something you must place significant value on in this day and age."

He imposed a one-year community order with 180 hours of unpaid work and told him to pay a £60 surcharge.