Police became suspicious when they stopped a car with three men in it and noticed a strong smell of cannabis, a court heard.

They carried out a search of the Nissan Micra and found seven small bags of the drug weighing 7.15 grammes and a mobile phone which rang and was answered by officers.

They went to where one of the passengers, Jordan Burnett, was staying in Canterbury Street, Gillingham, and a search of his room revealed more cannabis, as well as cocaine and £575 in cash.

Prosecutor Peter Alcock said there was a total of 16 bags of cannabis weighing 173.42 grammes worth up to £3,365.

The 5.35 grammes of cannabis was worth up to £550.

A mobile phone contained drug-related messages and there was a dealer’s “tick list” with names, addresses and values.

Tom Stern, defending, said 24-year-old Burnett had waited a long time to be sentenced since the offences were committed on July 14 last year.

He had been employed in diamond drilling but had not been able to get work since August.

Mr Stern said Burnett, born in Chatham and raised in Hoo, was excluded from main stream education.

He had smoked cannabis for a number of years and “slid” into cocaine use.

He ran into debt with dealers and resorted to supplying drugs to pay it off.

Jailing Burnett for three years and four months on Friday, Judge Charles Macdonald said: “I am finding remorse in mitigation. It is a very stale case.

“Nevertheless, Parliament has intended that this type of conduct has to be deterred and deterrent sentences have to be passed. That is my duty.”