A WAREHOUSE supervisor who spent the Christmas period selling skunk cannabis has been sentenced.

Barrie Barnes, 43, turned drug dealer when a friend had a surplus of the Class B drug and he himself had been laid off by his employer, York Crown Court heard.

Rob Galley, prosecuting, said the 43-year-old touted for business by text message between December 18 and December 26, 2014.

A police raid on December 30 found nearly 2oz of drug plus £330 in cash.

Defence barrister Steven Grattage said: "He is an entrenched user who saw an good opportunity and a temptation he should have said no to, but he didn't."

Barnes, whose address was given in court as Gale Farm Court, Gale Lane, pleaded guilty to possessing cannabis with intent to supply and possession of amphetamine, which was found in the same raid , for his own use.

The prosecution accepted his statement that he had a friend who had grown too much cannabis, so he had bought it cheaply and used it to make some money."

He was given a six-month prison sentence suspended for 18 months on condition he does 120 hours' unpaid work. He must also pay £400 prosecution costs and a £80 statutory surcharge, and the £330 was confiscated.

Judge Colin Burn said anyone dealing in drugs deserved a prison sentence.

"It perpetuates not just other people continuing with (their) habit, but also creates a significant amount of criminal behaviour. It is such a damaging offence against the community at large," he said.

Drug related crime included house burglary.

Mr Grattage said being arrested had been a wake-up call for Barnes. He had given up amphetamine. He had stopped selling cannabis when he had only sold one-third of the drug he bought and before the police arrived.

He was now back in full-time employment as his employer had a new contract. His drug selling had been out of character at a time when he had been out of work.