A LANCASTER University student who was a "prime mover" on the local drug scene has been jailed for two years. Ben Richardson, 21, was caught with almost £16,000 of class B drugs in his room when police raided Grizedale College at Lancaster University in March. Lancaster Crown Court heard that Richardson, who was studying business administration, had cannabis resin, cannabis bush and amphetamine (speed) in his campus bedroom.

The court also heard how he listed all his drug sales in a little red book and between January and March had sold a total of £27,000 worth of narcotics. Prosecuting, Nicolas Kennedy, told the court that 98oz of cannabis resin, 8oz of cannabis bush and 180g of 'speed' had been found in his room.

Mr Kennedy told the court that Richardson had become involved in selling drugs last October at the start of the academic year. He had contributed £2,000 to buy the drugs as a business venture and the operation quickly expanded.

The police investigation revealed that he had made £50,000 from his drug dealing over a six month period and he admitted four charges of supplying class B drugs and three charges of possession.

Defending, Patrick Thompson, said Richardson got involved because he was badly in debt and was also suffering from stress.

He said: "The people who had been selling drugs at the university had moved on and he was stepping into their shoes. He saw this as an easy way to make money."

Jailing the student for two years, recorder Andrew Sander said: "You were a principal supplier of drugs at Lancaster University. This was not a small operation, there was a substantial amount of drugs over a significant period of time and involving a significant amount of money. If all students succumb to this way of finding money when in debt there would be chaos."

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