A ‘PROMISING young man’ who became a drug dealer to fund his own habit has been jailed for two years.

Benedict Watson, aged 27, had been dealing drugs for over a year when police searched his home in Grange Close, St Cross, after a strong smell of cannabis was reported.

On March 16 2018 officers discovered £880 in cash surrounding Watson’s girlfriend and another £5,250 in their spare room.

Winchester Crown Court on Monday heard that 5.47kg of cannabis was found, with a street value of £54,700.

Watson was arrested and released under investigation, but on April 6, the same year, police returned to the flat and further 40g was discovered.

The search sparked a police investigation which highlighted £77,590 being moved between Watson’s bank accounts, along with those that he shared with girlfriend Ella Moseley and her accounts, which officers deemed criminal property.

Ms Moseley was also arrested and stood trial in November, this year, but she was acquitted by a jury.

Nicholas Wells, prosecuting, said that a phone belonging to Watson was found “which indicated dealing within the last year and the amount of text messages indicated dealing and money”.

He added: “There were about 100 persons who appear to have financial transactions relating to cannabis.”

Mr Wells said the texts represented “quite high level dealing in cannabis for quite a significant period.”

But Caroline Skeet, in mitigation, said that Watson was suffering from an addiction to the class B drug.

She continued: “Within that he was some what funding his own habit as a result his culpability is somewhat lessened.

“He has certainly gone about addressing his addiction and voluntarily enlisted himself after the second arrest to Inclusion.”

But Judge Keith Cutler CBE said that in a pre-sentence report Watson admitted that he was still using cannabis.

“How can I trust anything he is saying? Everyone has tried for him in the early part of this year with his girlfriend facing a trial as well.

“Everyone has sympathy saying nice things about him. Low and behold he carries on using cannabis.”

He added: “He [Watson] doesn’t understand to take and possess cannabis is a crime.”

Ms Skeet said that Watson was trying to turn his life around and now has a job as an estate agent, adding: “addictions are very difficult to manage and get control of and Mr Watson is likely with many addicts continue to try and deal with that addiction for many times to come.”

In sentencing Judge Cutler jailed Watson for two years, saying: “You are a young man, you had promise, clearly much loved and much supported.”

He added that Watson had caused anguish to his parents, family and friends.