DRUG dealer Liam Tubb, who was caught selling heroin and crack while on bail for possession, has walked free from court after it heard he was at the bottom of a large operation.

Tubb, 20, of High Street, Royal Wootton Basset, had about 100 wraps of heroin and crack cocaine when police raided the house where he had been dealing for the Bristol based syndicate.

But he was given a suspended sentence after Judge Tim Mousley QC heard he was in debt to dealers and was now off drugs after time on remand.

But he said: "Leave the court with these words ringing in your ears: if you come back before the court for dealing in drugs again you are going to prison for a very, very, long time."

Hannah Squire, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court the Royal Wootton Basset man was first arrested on Friday July 17.

When he was searched police found the packaging from a Kinder Egg which he was using to store eight wraps of crack cocaine.

Almost a week later, on Thursday July 23, police raided a house in Royal Oak Close, Chippenham, where he was found with about 100 wraps of heroin and crack ready for sale on the streets.

"He had a telephone with clear evidence of drug dealing messages on them and also £5,000 the first time he was arrested," she said.

Tubb pleaded guilty to possessing heroin and crack cocaine with intent to supply and possessing crack and cannabis.

Rob Ross, defending, asked the court to give his client a chance as he was at the lower end of the dealing scale, was now off drugs and with work lined up.

He said "The pre-sentence report goes into the young man's background: it goes into the fact that he got into debt.

"He was, to a great extent because of the loss of his work and being made homeless, he fell in with these people and got involved in what he got involved in.

"Going in to custody was almost certainly a good thing for him. It is apparent he is clean of drugs.

"He has done some ad hoc work while on bail and he has managed to find some full time work and will be able to start immediately.

"He is someone, a young man, who made a stupid mistake when in difficult circumstances. He has cleaned his act up completely."

Judge Tim Mousley QC said "I have to deal with you for possession of class A drugs with intent to supply them, which is always a serious matter.

"Your involvement in these offences took place in July of this year and you were street dealing cocaine and heroin on one day.

"You were plainly doing what you did under the influence of others who were more deeply involved. You were also found on another day to be in possessing of crack and cannabis.

"You were street dealing for financial gain although I take the view that you come towards the lower end of that sentencing category.

"You are remorseful for what you did and you were an addict at the time. You are now clean.

"You are still pretty young, only 20, and you have work lined up. You are someone who since you left school has always been in work."

He imposed a two year jail term suspended for 24 months with supervision, thinking skills programme and a three month night time curfew.

And the judge said "Leave the court with these words ringing in your ears: if you come back before the court for dealing in drugs again you are going to prison for a very, very, long time."

Tubb must also pay a £900 courts charge and £100 victim surcharge.

At an earlier hearing Bev Jones, 51, whose house he was dealing from, was jailed for three years for conspiracy to supply with another six months for allowing her home to be used for dealing.