AN unemployed man who turned small time drug dealer because of financial problems has been jailed for two years.

When Colin Hodkinson's home was searched, police found a stash of drugs, including more than 300 ecstasy tablets and a quarter kilo of cannabis resin. The 33-year-old of Whitendale Crescent, Blackburn, had pleaded guilty to two charges of drug supplying, two of possession with intent to supply and one of simple possession.

Preston Crown Court heard that in September last year police executed a search warrant at his home. A total of 320 ecstasy tablets were found, a quarter of a kilo of cannabis resin and more than 13 grammes of powder containing amphetamine.

Hodkinson went on to admit to police that he had been selling drugs on a small-scale basis to friends. The amphetamine was for his own personal use.

Dennis Watson, defending, said Hodkinson knew that a prison sentence would follow.

He said: "He isn't proud at all at what he did. He made the decision, faced with the financial difficulty he was in. The choice he made was completely the wrong one.

"His benefits had been stopped because he didn't attend a course. He was going for job interviews rather than on a course."

He had supplied cannabis to friends and later, for a short while, a number of ecstasy tablets.

"His profit has been very small. He readily appreciates the folly of what he did. Those he supplied to were known to him or known users."

Recorder Roger Farley QC told Hodkinson in passing sentence "The court takes into account the fact you are a low level dealer and that your guilty pleas were entered at an early stage".