The son of a former policeman has been jailed for 15 months after he admitted dealing drugs.

Sean Burnell sold cocaine to pay his own drug debts, Bristol Crown Court heard on Monday.

The court was told he was found with drugs in his car after police noticed him driving through a red traffic light and recognised him as a disqualified driver.

Burnell, 22, of Longs Drive, in Yate, pleaded guilty to possessing cocaine with intent to supply.

Imposing sentence Judge Michael Roach told him "You should know that when people plead guilty to this , even on your basis, they go to prison for upwards of three years and sometimes five years."

The judge ordered the destruction of the drugs found.

John Penny, prosecuting, said it was in the early hours of October last year when police spotted Burnell in Frampton Cotterell as he went through a red light and they tried to pull him over because they recognised he was banned from driving.

Mr Penny said that after a short chase Burnell was stopped , his car was searched, and a bag containing white powder was found in the rear passenger footwell along with scales in the glove box.

The court heard the powder weighted 49.64 grams, contained cocaine and the scales found were contaminated with the drug.

Mr Penny said it was estimated that one gram deals of the substance would have netted some £2,400 and mobile phones seized also revealed evidence Burnell had been supplying drugs.

The court heard Burnell admitted having an £80 a day cocaine habit and had started selling to pay drug debts, with very little profit left over.

Rupert Lowe, defending, said his client had been released from prison in April having served an 11 month term for previous driving matters.

He said that while in custody he had worked to tackle his drug taking and after being released had not gone back to his old life style.

He told the court "For the last eight weeks he has not used any drugs at all and his father has been monitoring him.

"His intention is to join a brick laying course.

"Custody has hit him very hard and he is essentially intelligent and resourceful and he never should have taken cocaine."

Burnell's father David, a police officer for four years between 1989 and 1992 , told the court it became clear to him his son was using and dealing drugs and he dealt with him in "no uncertain terms".

Mr Burnell senior said he had agreed to take over his son's outstanding drug debts and told the judge he believed his lad was now turning a corner and if he wasn't he would lose a lot of respect for him.