POLICE investigating suspicious activity found a small amount of drugs in a Herefordshire man's wallet.

But when they searched his nearby van they discovered evidence that he was a dealer, buying in thousands of pounds worth of ketamine and selling it on for profit.

It led to Jakub Kowal, 21, of Grange Farm Cottages, Bosbury, being jailed for a year and being warned by a judge at Gloucester crown court that if he was caught dealing again his prison time would "dramatically increase".

Kowal had been helping to unload musical equipment from a van near Cirencester when police arrived, answering calls from people who had become suspicious.

In his van was 28grams of ketamine, a small amount of diazepam, a set of scales and plastic bags. The value of the seized drugs was £850, said prosecutor Alan Williams.

Messages found on Kowal's phone showed he had been dealing, and he admitted to doing so for about a year.

The evidence suggested Kowal bought the drugs in bulk at £1,600 a time, then made several hundred pounds profit.

Judith Kenney, defending, said Kowal has voluntarily sought help for his own drug problem since his arrest.

Judge Mark Horton questioned whether Kowal's van could be confiscated from him as it had been used in the course of crime but Ms Kenney said it has already been sold by the defendant's parents for just £120 as it was old.

Judge Horton told him "You had been dealing in drugs for 12 months. That is not just one or two supplies. This was your business and you have been earning substantial sums of money from it."

Kowal had admitted having Ketamine with intent to supply and possessing Diazepam.