A Bristol man found with Class A drugs valued at more than £700 has been jailed for 18 months.

Police found 3.14g (1oz) of crack cocaine and 12.2g (4oz) of heroin when they executed a search warrant on Mohamed Ali's home in Albany Road, Montpelier, in September last year.

Ali, aged 25, pleaded guilty to supplying Class A drugs at Bristol Crown Court yesterday.

Nicholas Fridd, prosecuting, said Ali told police a third party gave him money to cut and sell drugs.

Catherine Spedding, defending, told the judge her client was a man of previous good character who was "put upon" to allow his premises to be used. She called character witnesses who told the court Ali had worked with community film projects focusing on the experiences of Somali people in the UK.

They said Ali was considered to have a bright mind and had a lot of potential, and was a useful asset.

The Recorder of Bristol Judge Tom Crowther QC told him: "The law is very clear.

"The service you provided to the professional drug dealers was a valuable service, which protects them and furthers the trade – a trade which the courts have endeavoured to stop by punishment, which discourages others from joining it."