A convicted drug dealer found a hair-raising place to hide a stash of cocaine when police raided a Medway house.

Officers found 25 “deals” of the Class A drug nestling among Kassim Green’s long dreadlocks, a court heard.

The 20-year-old college student gave a false name and address to police at the house in First Avenue in Chatham on December 13 last year.

“He had some drugs hidden in the dreadlocks of his hair,” prosecutor John Fitzgerald told Maidstone Crown Court.

Green, of Thornton Heath Croydon, was charged with possessing the drug with intent to supply, but it was reduced to simple possession because it was weighed incorrectly in the packet.

The amount was five grammes but when the packet was removed it reduced to 3.31 grammes.

Reg Chand, defending, said Green had been trying to give up crack cocaine for a while.

“It is not a particularly bad habit,” he said. “He takes it every now and then. He is not truly addicted.”

“Let me warn you, you are going down a dangerous road. Using this type of drug will do nothing but harm to your health and relationships and everything else in your life" - Recorder James Dawson

Mr Chand told Recorder James Dawson: “You may think a conditional discharge would be one way of dealing with him.”

Fining Green £300, Recorder Dawson said: “Possession of such a drug is a criminal offence. It falls to me to have to punish you.

“Let me warn you, you are going down a dangerous road. Using this type of drug will do nothing but harm to your health and relationships and everything else in your life.

“The sooner you get off it and start to lead a cleaner life the better for you. You have got as chance now. Put it behind you and get on with your life.”