A drug dealer caught with a stash of heroin and crack cocaine began his 41st birthday with a two-and-a-half-year jail sentence.
Jonathan Finnemore also had £2,480 in cash – seized on his arrest – confiscated by the court.
He admitted two counts of possessing A drugs, with intent to supply, on July 1.
The drugs, found during a raid at his home in Malabar Road, St Matthew's, Leicester, had a street value of £3,610.
Neil Bannister, prosecuting, told Leicester Crown Court when officers arrived to execute a search warrant the defendant was at home, with others.
The haul included four 1.5 gram pieces of heroin, two other pieces weighing 2.8g and 1g, as well as 64 individual half-gram wraps of heroin – totalling 43.4 grams.
Various amounts of crack cocaine weighing a total of 34.1 grams were also seized.
"A set of scales were found to have traces of heroin on them," said Mr Bannister.
David Watts, mitigating, said: "He was more of a gofer for the organisation.
"He was until recently a heroin addict and others took advantage of him to use him as the deliveryman and he was paid in drugs.
"His house was used as a base for the operation.
"Today is his birthday and he has received a card from his mother, although she's not in good enough health to visit him and he's concerned about her welfare."
"He's prepared himself for a sentence of some length and has undertaken education while in prison and has six certificates for courses.
"He's turning his life around so that he is going to come out in a far better position than when he was arrested."
Judge Nicholas Dean QC told Finnemore: "Significant quantities of heroin and crack cocaine were found.
"The way they were being stored indicated they were to be supplied to others.
"Undoubtedly you played a part in the supply in class A drugs.
"However the account of your role seems to be plausible.
"No doubt you were taken advantage of, but you did play an important part in the supply of class A drugs.
"You've taken steps to rid yourself of your drug addiction and that's key to you remaining away from offending."
