A 51-year-old Dursley heroin dealer caught with almost £7,000 of the drug was jailed for 54 months at Gloucester crown court today.

During the hearing the court heard that the dealer had become involved in drugs while 'bored' in prison.

When police went to Nicholas Dyson's address in St Georges Road on September 21 with a search warrant they found £6,900 worth of heroin, two sets of electronic scales, 'dealer's lists' and a bag of what appeared to be a 'cutting agent'.

The court heard that Dyson had 20 previous convictions for 36 offence.

They included an offence of causing grievous bodily harm with intent which led to him being jailed for six years in 2009 when Dyson deliberately drove his car into a former friend, causing a permanent leg injury.

Judge Ian Lawrie QC commented at today's hearing that Dyson was 'not a novice to drugs' as he was involved in a conspiracy in 1999.

Dyson's defence lawyer, Jason Coulter, said his client was released in 2012 after the GBH offence.

“In prison drugs were still available. To alleviate the boredom from time to time he used," said Mr Coulter.

“He comes out not as clean as one might have hoped."

His defence lawyer continued to explain that Dyson's property had an “attraction for those that wanted to set up a 'county line' drug dealing operation.

“Perhaps to be viewed as a property under the radar,” Mr Coulter suggested. “In the time honoured fashion, they were prevailed upon to allow this to happen.”

Referring to the 'pressure' applied by others for Dyson to set up a 'county lines' operation, the judge said: “If you mix in those sort of quarters do not be surprised if those sort of things happen. You must pay the price for it.