A MAN hailed as once being a Good Samaritan is today behind bars after admitting drug dealing.

A member of the public alerted British Transport Police after spotting Edward James Cook acting suspiciously at York Railway Station at 9.10pm on July 14 last year, said Rob Galley, prosecuting.

He had enough drugs on him to fetch £180 in street deals.

On his mobile phone, police found texts and messages going back to May from customers asking for drugs.

Cook’s barrister Roderick Hunt said in the past he had shown he was a public-spirited person when he came across a tragic road accident.

“He assisted a person at the scene then went to the funeral of the deceased,” he said.

“He is the sort of young man one would normally turn to in times of trouble and now that he is in trouble many have tried to help him.”

The defence barrister handed in references and a psychiatric report.

Cook, 22, of Hutton Avenue, Hartlepool, pleaded guilty to possessing cocaine, a Class A drug, with intent to supply it and possessing ketamine, a Class B drug, with intent to supply it.

Judge Simon Hickey jailed him for 28 months at York Crown Court.

“For someone supplying Class A drugs, even with your mitigation, I cannot suspend the sentence,” he said. “You were dealing for a significant time.”

The judge said Cook initially attracted attention because he was shifting about in a doorway at the railway station.

Mr Galley said Cook was behaving “nervously” and appeared to be trying to put something deeper into his pocket when he was arrested on July 14. On him, police found 2.49g of high purity cocaine worth £120 on the streets and 2.1g of ketamine worth £40 as well as a small amount of cocaine worth £20.

Mr Hunt said: “It is quite clear he was in the drug world as were his friends and he and his friends supplied each other."

He had become addicted through unusual circumstances, the defence barrister said.

Since his arrest, Cook had got employment, cared for his “extremely ill father” and stayed on the right side of the law.