Bar manager Ian John Clark has been jailed for 44 months after cocaine with a potential street value of more than £27,000 was found at his Edgerton home.

And Leeds Crown Court heard Clark had a previous conviction for smuggling hashish in Europe.

The court was told he was trying to pay off debts and approached someone connected to the drugs trade to offer his help.

Richard Holland representing him said he was asked to store the cocaine in return for a £300 payment. He said for that amount Clark had thrown away everything including his liberty.

Graham O’Sullivan prosecuting said officers had searched Clark’s home in Regent Road on September 29 last year and 244 grammes of cocaine was found in a bottom drawer of a bedside table in the master bedroom.

It was in a Top Man carrier bag and was found to be 74% pure cocaine. If that was adulterated down to the normal street level deals it had a potential value of £27,778.

The court heard Clark had previous convictions when younger for drug offences. He was jailed in the 1990s in Belgium after transporting some hashish from Holland to the French border.

Mr Holland said when he was released from that sentence because the drugs involved had been seized he found himself under a debt to pay for them. He was asked to find a storage facility for cannabis and arranged for a cellar to be used and subsequently pleaded guilty to that offence.

He had managed to keep out of trouble and away from drugs for many years until he found himself in debt last year “when he had not learnt enough of a lesson,” he said.

He owed £23,000 connected to his former business, had arrears of rates and was struggling with his mortgage payments although he manage to pay some of that off. His relationship had ended and he was having access problems to his children and acted in desperation under “stress and stupidity.”

Judge Sally Cahill QC said it was a concern that having allegedly kept away from the drugs world for so long Clark had known who to approach. She was told by Mr Holland “he owned a number of bars during that time and that’s how he got the information.”

“He is thoroughly ashamed of what he has done.”

Clark, 44, admitted possessing cocaine with intend to supply.

Sentencing him Judge Cahill: “On your account you contacted someone who you knew was dealing in drugs and offered your services and stored the cocaine for a fee of £300.”

She said the purity of the drugs suggested a level of trust in him and the case was aggravated by his previous convictions.