Uncle was chauffeur on nephew's drug-dealing trip

Harry Podmore accepted the offer of £30 to act as 'chauffeur' to Michael Perks, aged 23, who was selling heroin and cocaine, a judge heard.

Police spotted a known drug user flagging down the Peugeot being driven by the uncle in Bloxwich Road, Willenhall around 8.30pm on September 22, Wolverhampton Crown Court was told.

"They watched as the drug exchange took place, followed the vehicle into Moseley where it stopped and the defendants were arrested," said Miss Aliya Rashid, prosecuting.

Police found a total of 27 wraps of either heroin or cocaine worth £270 hidden in the boxer shorts of Perks who also had £226 cash while Podmore was getting £30 for his help, the court heard.

The pair had allegedly been selling drugs since lunch time.

The older man, who had beaten his own heroin habit in the past, said: "I am embarrassed and ashamed. I had sorted my life out and been clean for two years."

Mr Ekwall Tiwana, defending Perks, who had a previous conviction for supplying cocaine, said: "He fully accepts that he was acting as a street drug dealer.

"His girlfriend is expecting their child and he has woken up to the fact that he cannot afford to engage in this kind of behaviour again or else he will be going to prison for a very long time.

"He intends to go on as many courses as possible while in custody so that he can find proper work on his release and not offend again. He wants to be a credit to the community."

Mr Christopher O'Gorman, for Podmore, told the court: "He knew what he was getting into and the inevitable prison sentence that follows will have a profound effect on him.

"The defendant had started taking drugs in middle age and had been convicted of several shoplifting offences over the same period of time.

"These two facts were not unrelated," concluded Mr O'Gorman.

Perks, from Newbridge Crescent, Tettenhall, and Podmore, of Primrose Avenue, Bushbury both admitted possession of heroin and cocaine with intent to supply.

The younger man also had previous convictions for possession of cannabis in 2011 and burglary the following year.

Judge John Warner said: "Perks played the significant role in the operation while his uncle acted in a lesser capacity, being his chauffeur, driving him around and allowing him to sell drugs from the car."

Podmore, who had neither previous conviction nor caution for drug offences, was jailed for one year eight months while his nephew was locked up for three years eight months.