CODED messages to discuss drug deals by text have been revealed in court as a cocaine dealer was jailed for four years.

In one mobile phone message, a customer asked Patrick Thorpe if he could ‘pop round for another cuppa’ before adding he was having ‘another blow out for a friend’s birthday’.

Another punter asked him he fancied sharing a ‘tin of paint’.

Durham Crown Court was told the messages, found on a Blackberry at his house when it was searched by police, were poorly disguised references to drugs.

Judge Christopher Prince, who jailed the 55-year-old, said: “The lack of subtlety is astonishing when people are discussing drugs.

“We have seen hundreds of these where people think they are cleverly disguising what they are talking about.”

The court heard 44.8g grams of cocaine was found at Thorpe’s home in Newfield, near Chester-le-Street, County Durham, on April 10 last year.

Paul Abrahams, prosecuting, said police executed a search warrant and found two plastic eggs containing white powder.

There was also black plastic weighing scales, and almost £1,110 in two bundles of cash.

Mr Abrahams said: “Police executed a search warranted and asked if there were any drugs in the property.

“He said there were some on the top shelf of the kitchen cupboard in a woolly hat.

“They were opened and found to contain a clear plastic bag with powder in each.”

Thorpe pleaded guilty to one charge of possession with intent to supply a class A drug.

The court was told Thorpe has previously been convicted of dealing cannabis and ecstasy as well as possessing cocaine.

The drug offences date back 20 years

Stephen Duffield, mitigating, said the father-of-three was ashamed of himself.

Mr Duffield said: “He has let his partner down and he has let his children down.

“He is deeply ashamed of the affect this will have on them.

“He deeply regrets that. He realises he must go to prison.”

Mr Duffield said lists of names found at Thorpe’s house was debts he owed and was not a dealer’s ledger.

He said Thorpe has sought treatment for his drug dependency since his arrest with an organisation known as Lifeline

He said: “He has been attending every week. He had found it difficult to stay off cocaine, but he has managed to stay off for some 18 months.”

Mr Duffield said Thorpe only dealt to his friends to fund his own habit and was not a street dealer.

Judge Prince jailed him for four years.

He said: “It is submitted that you were supplying your friends. I am yet to meet a drug dealer who supplies his enemies.

“Cocaine and other drugs harm friends and enemies.

“You were perpetuating the supply of dangerous drugs in society to people who were harming themselves.

“If there were no suppliers there would be no customers.”