A DRUG dealer who planned to peddle cannabis in a York club has been jailed.

Door staff caught Stephen Charles MacDonald, 22, at the entrance of Toffs nightclub with scales, a stock of cannabis skunk, other drugs paraphernalia and more than £1,000 in cash and called in police. He claimed he was just passing through with the items on June 17 and had no intention of dealing in the club.

"I find that beyond belief," said the Recorder of York, Judge Paul Hoffman, on first hearing the story.

He adjourned the case so he could hear evidence from the defence and prosecution before deciding on MacDonald's sentence.

At the resumed hearing, he decided MacDonald had been intending to deal in the club - and jailed him for three years.

MacDonald, of Knapton Close, Strensall, admitted possessing cannabis with intent to supply to others, producing cannabis and possessing cocaine.

Police searched the home of MacDonald's mother after arresting him at Toffs and found 30 cannabis plants in the back bedroom. Altogether, they found cannabis with a street value of between £1,493 and £1,767 on him or at his mother's.

The defence claimed MacDonald had the drug items with him at Toffs because he was moving them from his girlfriend's to another location.

MacDonald has already served one prison term for drug offences. In 2001, he was jailed for two years for possessing 102 Ecstasy tablets worth between £765 and £1,020 with intent to supply them to his friends.

Moments after he got them from a dealer in a car, police closed in. He threw them out of the car window, but detectives found them.

Updated: 12:19 Monday, March 27, 2006