An Ipswich drug-dealer who left a trail of bank notes in his wake after they fell out of his pocket during a police chase has been jailed for three years.

Police officers stopped an Audi A3 driven by Aaron Davis in Yeoman Close, Ipswich and when they approached the vehicle they noticed a strong smell of cannabis, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

When Davis got out of the car, he was initially compliant.

But when a police officer removed her handcuffs with the intention of putting them on him, he had run off in the direction of a footpath.

Officers gave chase and saw Davis jump over a fence into a car park, said Andrew Thompson, prosecuting.

They then noticed numerous bank notes at the entrance of the car park and when they approached Davis, they noticed he was holding more notes.

As the officers were handcuffing him, he asked if they could “get his money”, said Mr Thompson.

Davis told officers he hadn’t been trying to get rid of the money and that he had dropped it when he jumped over the fence.

Davis had tried to escape again but was cornered in the car park and when he was searched, more banknotes were found on him.

A total of £3,500 was recovered from Davis and the car park.

When his car was searched, officers found three phones which contained a “considerable” number of messages relating to the sale of drugs, said Mr Thompson.

“Analysis of the phones showed that an established drug-dealing operation had been interrupted,” said Mr Thompson.

Davis, 29, of Downing Close, Ipswich, admitted being concerned in the supply of cocaine and cannabis on January 4 and possession of criminal property.

Jailing him for three years, Judge Emma Peters said the text messages found on his phones showed he had “enthusiastically” been involved in the supply of drugs

Kelly Fernandez-Lee, for Davis, said her client’s arrest had resulted in him no longer using drugs, which had been the reason behind his offending.

She said his partner was expecting his baby in June and he would miss the birth.