A SNIFFER dog helped put a drug dealer behind bars after picking him out in a crowded pub with cocaine in his pocket.

Jack Lucas was yesterday jailed for two years for possessing Class A substances with intent to supply last November.

Teesside Crown Court heard that Lucas bought the powder in bulk, sold it to his friends and used profit to buy more.

Judge John Walford told him: "Drug use, particularly Class A drug use, is one of the social evils of these times."

The court heard how police searched Lucas's home in Darlington after he was sniffed out at town centre bar Avalon.

Cocaine worth £350 was found along with scales and bags used to package up the drugs, said prosecutor Paul Cleasby.

Lucas, 23, made full admissions and told police he bought £500 worth at a time and supplied one-gramme bags for £50.

Ben Pegman, mitigating, said the trainee tiler developed an "unmanageable" habit socialising with other cocaine users.

"He has then dealt drugs to fund that habit," said Mr Pegman. "He has had led an otherwise hard-working, blameless life.

"His level of remorse is quite apparent in his pre-sentence report. He is visibly upset when discussing the matter.

"He tells me he has not taken cocaine since his arrest. He has desisted from going out and broken away from his social circle.

"These are always difficult cases when people have no previous convictions, and have so much to lose.

"I suspect the reality is Jack Lucas and his associates, given two or three years, will have grown out of it and settled down."

Lucas, of Stephenson Street, Darlington, also admitted possessing Class B drugs after a tiny amount of cannabis was found.

Judge Walford told him: "From what I have read, you are essentially a thoroughly decent young man who has a lot going for you.

"You are hard-working and are fortunate enough to have a caring and supportive family who, quite rightly, have been appalled by the realisation of what you have been involved in."