A man with an "appalling criminal record" has been sent back to jail for almost three years for dealing crack cocaine in Ipswich.

Luke Anderson appeared at Ipswich Crown Court on Wednesday to admit possession with intent to supply crack cocaine last July.

The 29-year-old denied a second charge of carrying an offensive weapon – an adapted drill bit – on the same day.

Prosecutor Lynne Shirley said the pleas were acceptable and requested that the second charge be left to lie on file without a verdict being entered.

Miss Shirley said Anderson was stopped and searched in Fonnereau Road, Ipswich, on June 7 last year.

In his possession, police found a mobile phone, £130 in cash, 16 wraps of crack cocaine and an adapted drill bit.

Miss Shirley said police later found messages indicative of drug supply on Anderson's mobile phone.

The court heard that Anderson had 51 previous convictions for 96 offences, including cannabis possession, but nothing on his record in relation to drug dealing.

Anderson, of no fixed address, appeared before the court on video link from Norwich prison, having been recalled to jail following his release from a previous sentence back into the community on licence.

Simon Gladwell, mitigating, said: "He has no record of dealing drugs before. He has a simple possession of cannabis, but that's it, so this is the first of this type of offence."

Mr Gladwell said Anderson was responsible for the "social supply" of a relatively small amount of drugs in order to pay off a debt and fund his own long-term crack cocaine habit.

"Most of his offending is related to that habit," added Mr Gladwell.

Judge Rupert Overbury told Anderson he had taken into account his lack of previous convictions for similar offences, but added: "You have got an appalling criminal record."

He said Anderson had not gained any specific financial advantage by effectively giving away the drugs to pay off debt, including to a woman whose phone he broke.

"It may be, simply because of your addiction and debt, there is an element of social supply," he added.

Anderson was jailed for 33 months – to run concurrently to the recall period of his existing jail spell.