An Ipswich drug dealer caught with illegal guns has been jailed for eight and a half years.

Nik Easey claimed he was a collector of military memorabilia but Judge Rupert Overbury said he was satisfied he had the weapons for a criminal purpose.

Easey, 32, of Bonny Crescent, Ipswich, admitted possessing a prohibited Webley revolver mark IV .38 with a barrel less than 30cm, and possessing a Ruger .22LR calibre pistol, a CZ 455 .22 calibre rifle, and more than 80 cartridges without a firearm certificate.

He also admitted possessing 138g of cocaine worth £15,000 and 300g of cannabis worth more than £4,000 with intent to supply.

Sentencing Easey at Ipswich Crown Court, Judge Overbury said it was clear from the quantity of drugs found in his possession and dealer lists recovered from his home that he had run a significant drug operation.

He said text messages found on Easey’s phone included requests from customers for cocaine and cannabis and vague threats about what would happen if debts weren’t paid promptly.

Turning to the firearms offences, Judge Overbury said there was a clear need to discourage the unlawful possession of firearms.

He said the .38 revolver was a genuine weapon that had been deactivated in 2015, but since then steps had been taken to reactivate the weapon to the point where it only needed a firing pin to be fitted.

“I don’t accept for one moment that you are a collector of military memorabilia and that you bought it at a car boot sale,” said the judge.

Catherine Bradshaw, for Easey, said although her client had been addicted to class A drugs in his twenties he had enjoyed a period of stability when he became the father of three children and was in full time employment.

However he relapsed after being the first person on the scene of a car accident and his life went into a downward spiral, resulting in him losing his job and his relationship breaking down.

He became addicted to gambling as well as drugs but since being remanded in prison he had attempted to turn his life around.