A 28 year-old Douglas man who dealt cocaine to clear debts has been jailed for four years by Deemster Doyle.

The court heard police arrested a woman in Pulrose Road after she had been to the home of Damian McLaughlin, in Stanley Terrace, in February this year.

In her car, they found 6.83 grammes of cocaine, and when they visited McLaughlin’s flat they discovered a further 26 grammes, worth over ?2,000.

McLaughlin told officers he needed money because he, his partner and their one year-old child were about to be evicted.

Jason Roberts reports (text, below, from attached audio file):

Mclaughlin admitted supplying cocaine, possessing the class A drug with intent to supply and possessing crumbs of cannabis resin.

His advocate told the court McLaughlin was sorry for what he had done, and had shown genuine remorse.

He had also pleaded guilty at the first available opportunity.

Sentencing him, Deemster Doyle said he had saved himself many extra years in prison by pleading guilty at the first opportunity.

He jailed him for four years.