An Ipswich man who was found with 40 wraps of cocaine and more than £2,000 cash after he was arrested by police near a drug dealing “hotspot” in the town has been jailed for 30 months.

David Folkes was driving a Mercedes in London Road, Ipswich when he was stopped by two police officers in an unmarked car in October 2020, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

Folkes, 29, of Beatty Road, Ipswich, admitted two offences of possessing cocaine with intent to supply and possessing cannabis in Ipswich on October 21 2020 and possessing four wraps of cocaine in Norwich on March 15 2020.

Sentencing him, Judge Martyn Levett said he’d been arrested near a drug dealing hotspot in Ipswich and had been planning to supply cocaine to local drug users in the London Road area.

He said Folkes was found in possession of 40 wraps of cocaine with a street value of £1,500 to £2,000 and more than £2,000 cash.

Judge Levett said the prosecution claimed the £2,000 cash found on him was the proceeds of drug dealing and not money from gambling.

Joanne Eley, prosecuting, said that when Folkes was stopped in London Road at 7.20pm on October 21 2020 in a silver Mercedes he was found in possession of wraps of cocaine and a quantity of skunk cannabis, worth between £100 and £200, was found during a search of his home.

Miss Eley said a burner phone was found tucked behind the driver’s seat in the Mercedes which contained messages advertising the sale of “high purity good quality cocaine”.

In the messages he also said he would no longer supply drugs on credit, said Miss Eley.

During police interviews, Folkes said he felt as though he was being framed and also said the cannabis was for his personal use.

Lynne Shirley, for Folkes said her client didn’t work and spent his benefit money on gambling.

She said Folkes had run up a £5,000 gambling debt on credit cards and was a cocaine user.

Miss Shirley said Folkes had tested positive for cocaine after his arrest but he had now stopped using drugs and had virtually stopped drinking alcohol.

She said Folkes had learning difficulties and a complex background of mental health problems.

She said although he had some previous convictions none of them were for possessing drugs with intent to supply.