POLICE who went to investigate 'suspicious activity' in Siddington caught drug dealer Jakub Kowal, 21, with £850 worth of ketamine, a court heard today.

Kowal was helping load musical equipment into a vehicle when officers arrived at Parkway, Siddington, a judge was told at Gloucester Crown Court.

But because of the suspicious activity seen earlier and reported to them by witnesses, officers searched Kowal and found a small packet of ketamine powder in his wallet.

He told them he had forgotten it was there, said prosecutor Alun Williams.

Police also found 28 grams of ketamine worth £850, a small amount of diazepam, a set of scales and some small plastic bags.

Messages found on Kowal's phone showed he had been dealing and he admitted to doing so for about a year.

The prosecutor said the evidence suggested that every time Kowal sold the drug, which he bought in bulk at £1,600 a time, he made several hundred pounds profit.

Kowal's only previous offences had led to cautions from the police rather than criminal charges, added the prosecutor.

Judith Kenney, defending, handed the court character references for Kowal including one which she said was from a retired Polish police officer for whom the defendant had done some work.

She said Kowal has voluntarily sought help for his own drug problem since his arrest.

Kowal, of Grange Farm Cottages, Bosbury, Herefordshire, had admitted having ketamine with intent to supply and possessing diazepam.

Jailing Kowal for a year, Judge Horton told him: "You had been dealing in drugs for 12 months. That is not just one or two supplies. This was your business and you have been earning substantial sums of money from it."