A judge has jailed a Huddersfield man for five years nine months after describing him as a “persistent drug dealer.”

Leeds Crown Court heard Usman Ali Zaheer was already on licence from a prison sentence for drugs offences when £8,000 worth of crack cocaine was found in bags hidden under some cushions at his Lockwood home in March.

Bashir Ahmed prosecuting said Zaheer was only released last August from a sentence totalling six years imposed for three sets of offences of possessing crack cocaine and heroin with intent to supply.

He had been arrested with the drugs in July 2012, then while on bail in August that year following a police chase he was caught with both drugs again and days later was on foot when he was stopped with heroin and crack cocaine in a bag.

Mr Ahmed said Zaheer’s licence was not due to expire until August 19 2018.

On 29 March this year a search warrant was executed at an address in Milner Street, where he was the sole tenant.

A bag was found under a cushion on a couch inside which were two bags containing 54.4 grammes of crack cocaine which was 91 per cent pure and 27.4 grammes of a cutting agent. He also had scales, some cash and a machete.

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His mobile phones were constantly ringing during the search and when they were examined were found to have texts on relating to drug dealing. He claimed at that time he was being set up.

Angus Macdonald representing Zaheer said it was that previous conviction that had caused him to need money so desperately.

When he was released he found that those who had lost drugs as a result of his previous arrests “were not happy about it.” He appreciated he would be going to jail again.

Zaheer, 34, admitted possessing crack cocaine with intent to supply.

Jailing him Judge Tom Bayliss QC said the high purity of the drug indicated he was “closely linked to the original source of the drugs.” He said that and his previous sentence involving three separate seizures of heroin and crack cocaine “make it clear to me you are a persistent drug dealer.”