An Ipswich man who allowed his home to be used by county line drug dealers has been given three months by a judge to prove he can change his ways.

Before Ipswich Crown Court on Thursday was Ben Richardson, 29, of Woodhouse Square, Ipswich, who admitted permitting his premises to be used for the supply of heroin and cocaine in June 2017.

He also admitted supplying heroin during the same month.

Deferring sentence on Richardson until February 8 next year, Judge Emma Peters said he was involved in a county lines drug operation and to some extent he had been “cuckooed” - where drug dealers take over the home of a vulnerable person and use it as a base to supply drugs.

Judge Peters told Richardson said that although most of his 65 previous convictions were shoplifting to fund his drug habit he could be sent to prison for two three years for the latest two offences.

She told Richardson he had three months to prove he had changed his ways and that he was prepared to co-operate with the probation service and other agencies who could help him.