A MAN from a "stable background" was spared jail yesterday despite admitting the supply of class A drugs.

James Baker, 21, of The Green, Romanby, near North-allerton, North Yorkshire, was found with £750 worth of ecstasy and £80 worth of cocaine.

He told police he intended to sell "one or two" ecstasy tablets to friends.

Shaun Dodds, prosecuting, told the court that police stopped Baker in his Peugeot in Harewood Lane, North-allerton, at 9.45pm on Friday, May 26.

Baker pointed out the cocaine to police, and was arrested. A search of his car found three bags of ecstasy tablets, with 99 in each.

Baker told police he had spent £35 on the cocaine for his own use. He admitted supplying the ecstasy tablets to friends.

Police checked Baker's mobile phone, and found a number of messages hinting at drug deals. One said: "How do mate, you got any little ones?"

Mr Dodds said: "The text was clearly a request for the supply of ecstasy tablets."

Graeme Gatson, in mitigation, said: "It is clearly disappointing that someone of Mr Baker's background is before this court for a matter such as this."

Mr Gatson said his client used drugs recreationally, but was not addicted. He also said Baker did not supply drugs for profit.

The judge said that, normally, someone would be jailed for offences such as Baker had committed, but said he was being spared because of his stable background and guilty plea.

Baker, who admitted possessing class A drugs with intent to supply, and possessing class A drugs, was ordered to carry out 300 hours of community work, pay £500 costs, and given an electronic tag and curfew from 9pm to 7am