A DRUG dealer who made thousands from illegal activities is challenging a bid to claw back his takings, as he fears he could lose his inheritance.

Jack Pearce, of Deverill Road, Sutton Veny, who is currently serving a four-year 10-month sentence, is said to have benefitted from his illicit trade by more than £170,000, a court was told.

Now the 37-year-old is concerned that if his father gives him some property, as he plans to, then it may be confiscated by the authorities.

A judge at Swindon Crown Court was told he will be contesting the amount of benefit he obtained from crime and his available assets.

Simon Goodman, for Pearce, said "He is going to come in to some property that his father owns. There is no secret, it is perfectly above board.

"Nobody says that property was gained from ill-gotten gains, when it comes into your possession it is totally disproportionate to say you can't have that property because you used to be a drug dealer."

Judge Jason Taylor QC pointed out the law was there so that someone who came into money in future, like winning the Lottery, could be pursued for their previous gain.

He adjourned the case to March 7 when Pearce, who was not present for the hearing, is expected to be brought from custody.

Pearce received the lengthy jail term after he continued supplying heroin and crack cocaine while on bail.

He had been arrested in November 2015 having been caught dealing in Frome and found offending again in April 2017 Days after admitting the offences in court he led police on a chase when they spotted him in his car.

He drove along a pavement and then repeatedly rammed a patrol car, preventing it from continuing the chase.

During the first arrest he was found with more than £4,000 worth of drugs as well as in excess of £12,000 in cash.

Five months later he had £3,000 worth of hard drugs as well as hundreds of pounds in cash.

Pearce admitted four counts of possessing drugs with intent to supply and dangerous driving.

He has a long list of previous convictions including drug dealing in 1999, in 2007 and 2008, when he got three years.

In 2007 he had fled the country to get clean after being caught with more than a kilogram of cannabis in his van on the A350.

A year later he was jailed after being caught with thousands of pounds worth of heroin, crack and cannabis in Trowbridge’s Wesley Road car park.

He also stole lead from the roof of the former Avon Rubber factory and jumped in the river in Bradford on Avon to try and escape capture.