A FAMILY man turned to a life of crime after he owed a drug dealer £3,000 from his own addiction.

Kyle Dimmick, 25, began selling cannabis himself to pay off his large debt, Newport Crown Court was told.

The defendant was caught with half a kilo of the class B drug when the police raided his house in Monmouth last year, prosecutor Matthew Comer said.

Officers also found nearly £600 in cash and a mobile phone with incriminating messages showing that Dimmick was running a drugs line.

The defendant pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of cannabis, possession of cannabis with intent to supply and possession of criminal property.

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Dimmick had just one previous conviction for criminal damage six years ago.

James Evans, mitigating, said: “This case goes back to the beginning of June 2022 and now we're in October 2023 and he is effectively a reformed person.

“He no longer uses cannabis and he plays a big part in his children's lives.”

The court was told that character references described Dimmick as a “decent, hard-working” man.

Mr Evans added: “He owed £3,000 to the person above him in the chain.

“His family have paid that for him, so he's now no longer in debt.

“He was making about £500 pounds a week in his own business but that’s been suspended at the moment as he's spending a great deal of his time looking after his father.”

Judge Shomon Khan told Dimmick: “You had a drugs line of sorts.

“I think all of the references that I've read make it difficult to understand how you got yourself into proper crime effectively.”

He added: “I recognise that you got yourself into this spiral because of the pressure you were under because of your own drug misuse.

“I have read letters about how important you are in the care of your children.

“I note the effect a prison sentence will have on your family and your father.

“The pre-sentence report and the time that's gone since you're offending suggests a very strong argument that there is a real prospect of rehabilitation.

“It seems to me that it's highly unlikely that you will act in this way again.”

The defendant was jailed for 12 months but the sentence was suspended for 18 months.

Dimmick, now of Smithville Close, St Briavels, Lydney, Gloucestershire will have perform 100 hours of unpaid work and complete a 10-day rehabilitation activity requirement.

He is due to face a proceeds of crime hearing in March 2024.