A CONVICTED drug dealer has been jailed for four and a half years after he was caught behaving suspiciously in York.

It was the third time David Benjamin Isles was convicted of an offence of trafficking in Class A drugs, York Crown Court heard.

Nicholas Rooke, prosecuting, said a police community support officer saw the 36-year-old loitering by the same estate agent’s near Ouse Bridge in York with no obvious reason on two days around New Year.

On the second occasion, he claimed to police: “I’m just waiting for my mate. I haven’t done anything wrong since I’ve been in prison.”

They searched him and found 15 wraps of heroin on him worth £150 in street deals.

He had already served nine and a half years in jail for dealing in heroin and cocaine.

Isles, of Dringfield Close, Dringhouses, pleaded guilty to possessing the 15 wraps of heroin with intent on the basis he only intended to share it with his girlfriend.

Judge Paul Worsley QC told him: “You have an appalling record for drug offences. There are 62 offences on your record,” as he jailed him for four and a half years.

In 2007, as part of Operation Holland, a major campaign against drug dealing in York, Isles was jailed for 54 months for four charges of supplying heroin.

On that occasion, York Crown Court heard that Isles claimed to be the main dealer in Foxwood and Acomb.

He and his “runners” supplied heroin or crack cocaine 15 times for up to £30 a time to an undercover police officer.

In July 2014 he was jailed for five years for possession of heroin with intent to supply.

Mr Rooke, for the prosecution, said the law held that someone convicted of a drug trafficking offence for the third time must get at least seven years in jail unless that would be unjust.

For Isles, Andrew Petterson said according to case law, Isles should have been charged with only possession for the Ouse Bridge offence, rather than possession with intent to supply, because he was an addict who had bought the heroin for himself and his partner only - and therefore it would be unjust to jail him for seven years.

He also said Isles was working hard on tackling his addiction.