A PERSONAL trainer who was dealing drugs while on early release from prison has been jailed for four years.

Aimer Thomas, 31, who had been accused of biting a custody officer when he was being searched, told 'a pack of lies' to a jury as he tried to save his skin.

And Thomas, who has a lengthy record of crime, was told that had he admitted what he had done from the start he may have stood a chance of avoiding jail.

But Judge Peter Blair QC told Thomas, who also uses the name Flex Rodriguez and worked at Fitness First and the Village Resort gym, there was no option but custody.

Thomas was arrested at the Toothill home of his girlfriend Lisa Corner during a police raid on the evening of Thursday, March 12.

His phone was found to have messages relating to the trade in heroin on it, and when he was strip searched in a police cell six wraps of crack fell from his pants.

Thomas, of Westminster Road, denied being concerned in the supply of heroin, possessing cocaine with intent to supply and common assault.

He said any bite was accidental, the phones were not his, despite having his numbers on them, and the drugs must have been put in his coat pocket by his girlfriend.

But aside from the assault, which he was cleared of, the jury found him guilty of the drugs offences.

They had been told how in 2010 he was jailed at Canterbury Crown Court for seven years for supplying hard an drugs and perverting the course of justice.

Thomas, who has 21 alias names and 16 alias dates of birth on his criminal record, also has previous for wounding, assault, possessing an offensive weapon and robbery.

Leanne Woodman, defending, said her client had turned to drugs following the death of his young child.

While he has been in custody on remand she said he had carried out a number of courses to better himself.

The judge said: "You had the benefit of Mrs Woodward who has represented you forcefully and skilfully during your proceedings.

"She was doing so on your instructions which were based on a pack of lies about your conduct.

"You sought to persuade the jury that you were not concerned in the supply of class A drugs and that you weren't in possession of them on March 12 with intent to supply them.

"You set about a complex story in which you tried to disassociate yourself from the phones which plainly belonged to you and the drugs which you said someone else put in your pockets.

"The truth of the matter is you were trying to disassociate yourself from the drugs found on you when you were arrested. This was committed while you were on licence for supplying class A drugs.

"You said, giving evidence, that that was when you were put under pressure by others but the jury didn't believe you.

"Had you pleaded at an early stage then the court might have considered there was an opportunity, at your stage in life, to consider other options: but you didn't."