A 65-YEAR-OLD great-grandfather became a crack cocaine dealer because he could not afford to live on his pension, a court was told.

David Hartley, of Gimson Close, Tuffley, was worried about being in arrears with bills including his TV licence and water charges, Gloucester Crown Court heard.

He started working as a middle man for a major crack dealer, delivering the drug to people on the street.

He has now been jailed for four-and-a-half years.

Hartley was caught on August 9 when police stopped his Vauxhall Vectra car and one officer smelt a whiff of cannabis, said prosecutor Julian Kesner.

In his jeans pocket the police found 50 grams of crack cocaine.

He told police his £97.65 a week was not enough to get by on.

"He was refreshingly candid when arrested," Mr Kesner said.

"He said 'Yes, this is crack. I can't survive on my pension'.

"I am just delivering it for other people. There is more in my house in the landing cupboard."

In the bedroom of his home police found another 0.6 grams of crack and a further 46 grams in the landing cupboard.

The total value of the drugs in Hartley's possession was £8,400.

Hartley said he was on his way to a "customer" in Brockworth when he was stopped.

"For customer, read street dealer," Mr Kesner said.

Instructions

"He would not name the male he was working for. He said he received instructions from this man to drop off and pick up.

"He said he was paid £200 for drop-offs and pick-ups and that his mobile phone and diesel were paid for. He admitted being involved in the supply of crack cocaine for about three months."

Andrew Hobson, defending, said Hartley had been jailed for nine years in 2002 for importing drugs from Jamaica but had always maintained his innocence and insisted it was planted on him while on holiday.

At the time of his arrest last month Hartley was struggling financially, said Mr Hobson. "He does not fit the profile of a person involved in the supply of Class A drugs.

"He is 65, in reasonable health for his age apart from diabetes, and he has three children, six grandchildren and two great grandchildren."

Mr Hobson said it was because of household debts that Hartley got involved in drugs supply.

"His concerns were TV licence arrears and water arrears," he added.

"For a man of his age and background even such small debts weighed heavily on his mind."

Jailing the pensioner, Judge William Hart told him: "Your age may well be one of the attractions of using your services in this way to divert attention from you.

"You do not fit the profile of someone involved in this sort of offending."