A MAN who was caught with hard drugs he was supplying while on early release from prison has been jailed for three years and two months.

Kareem Smiri was found with hundreds of pounds worth of heroin and crack cocaine just three months after he was released from prison.

Dawn Hyland, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court police went to an address on Lamplighters Walk, Trowbridge, one evening in January.

They were looking for another man, who was wanted for breach of licence, and as they looked upstairs they were met by Smiri.

He tried to block their path and because they knew of his past as a dealer he was detained for a drug search.

After becoming abusive, and nearly pushing an officer down the stairs, he was taken to a back bedroom where heroin and crack cocaine was found.

He was also found to have more than £450 in cash and a mobile phone which he refused to tell police the PIN for.

Miss Hyland said there were a total of 99 wraps of heroin, worth about £10 each on the street, and 34 wraps of crack, worth between £10 and £15, valuing the total haul at up to £1,500.

Smiri, of Hollis Way, Southwick, pleaded guilty to possessing heroin and crack cocaine with intent to supply and possessing criminal property.

The court heard he was jailed for three years in June 2014 for similar matters after he was caught with thousands of pounds worth of heroin and cocaine.

He was first caught when police stopped a Vauxhall Astra in Frome Road, Trowbridge, in the early hours and he tried to run off, dumping a rucksack as he went.

In it police found 61 wraps of heroin and 110 of crack cocaine which were worth about £2,320 as well as £300 cash.

He was released on bail after denying dealing but was arrested again a few months later with nine wraps of crack and 36 of heroin, worth £540, in his underwear.

Jason Taylor, defending, said his client knew he was facing another jail term as a result of what he had done.

After being released from prison last October he said his client found work and planned to go straight until he bumped into his dealer.

Having been told he owed £2,000 for the drugs he lost when he was arrested he felt compelled to return to dealing to repay the debt.

Jailing him Judge Peter Blair QC said: "You can't be unaware, given your background, that these courts will sentence people very harshly for dealing in these drugs.

"Should you commit a similar offence in the future there will be a minimum seven year sentence.

"That is a reflection of how strongly parliament feels, and quite rightly, to prevent and interfere with the utter misery that is caused to people who are addicted to class A drugs."