A DRUG dealer who continued his illegal trade in his small North Yorkshire town while on bail has been jailed for four and a half years.

A detective twice caught Brian James Casey, 52, with bags of cocaine on him, said Nicoleta Alistari, prosecuting at York Crown Court.

The first time, in the car park of the British Legion Working Men’s Club in South Milford, he had 69 bags.

The undercover policeman watched him carry out a drug deal from his Audi and then arrested him.

The second time was in Pasture Avenue, Sherburn-in-Elmet, when Casey had 26 bags on him. He was also driving under the influence of cocaine and another drug.

“Those who instruct me believe he had been earning a living from dealing drugs and it is a lifestyle offence,” said the prosecution barrister.

Casey, of Harvesters Way, South Milford, pleaded guilty to two charges of possession of cocaine with intent to supply on April 29, 2016 and on September 18, 2016, and drug driving.

He had previously served a 27-month sentence for supplying cocaine and was jailed for four and a half years.

He was also banned from driving for 12 months.

James Bourne-Arton, mitigating, said Casey had a very heavy cocaine habit and sold to fund his addiction. He was not part of a drug gang.

Since his arrest he had managed to stop taking cocaine. He was now doing two jobs – working for a company making buses in the morning and early afternoon and the rest of the time collecting debts for his mother’s loan business.

He also helped his mother, who is 77, look after his 86-year-old father.

Ms Alistari said police valued the drugs found on September 18 in Pasture Avenue as worth about £1,000 in street deals.

Casey claimed he had paid £500 for them, the same amount he claimed he had spent for the 69 bags he had with him in the car park on April 29.