A PARK North man is facing the prospect of a seven-year jail term after being convicted of possessing cocaine with intent to supply.

Alan Dobson could get the mandatory minimum sentence as it his third conviction for trafficking class drugs.

However, the 36-year-old could get a shorter sentence if a judge rules it would be unjust to pass the mandatory seven-year term.

Dobson was caught with the drugs at Swindon Designer Outlet on Saturday, June 23, last year.

When he was committed to Swindon Crown Court for sentence no-one realised he faced the mandatory term as there was a page missing from his list of previous convictions.

As a result of the omission the case was adjourned so his legal team could find out more about the earlier convictions.

Rob Ross, defending, said: "A full pre-sentence report has been prepared, but, bearing in mind the situation we have found ourselves in under the legislation, Mr Dobson is now in an entirely different position to that which he thought he was in when he got up this morning.

"In mitigating on his behalf I am in exactly the same shoes."

He said his client had been on bail since he was arrested on condition he lives with his mother, observes a night-time curfew and stays away from the Designer Outlet Centre.

The court was told that, despite breaching the conditions of his bail twice by failing to comply with the 7pm to 7am curfew, he had retained his liberty.

Dobson, of Welcombe Avenue, admitted possessing cocaine with intent to supply and obstructing a police officer.

He had to re-enter his guilty pleas as the charge put before the magistrates could only be heard at the crown court, so his earlier indication was invalid.

Recorder Peter Barrie adjourned the case for two weeks and continued the bail, allowing the curfew to be relaxed to start at 9pm.

He told him: "I am prepared to ease the curfew slightly.

"I have accepted your advocate's application for more time to investigate the circumstances of your previous offences.

"It is to your credit that you have pleaded once again to the offence charged against you and committed no further offences since last June."