A drug dealer ditched his stash in the River Medway after he was arrested at a hotel, a court heard.

Jason Ross was surprised to be confronted by police officers armed with a warrant when he emerged from a lift at a Travelodge in Chatham Maritime on January 13.

The 31-year-old was handcuffed but he broke free while leaving the waterfront hotel and hurled the drugs into the river.

He then cockily told the officers: “They're gone mate. I ain't going down for no sniff.”

But the “rather soggy” package containing 100 heroin wraps was retrieved from the water.

Text messages on his two mobile phones revealed he had been dealing both heroin and cocaine for the past month.

The former barber, from Liverpool, admitted two offences of supplying class A drugs and one of possessing heroin with intent to supply, and was jailed for three-and-a-half years.

Kieran Brand, defending, told Maidstone Crown Court Ross had agreed to “work a phone” in return for £350 a week.

He had travelled to Chatham to look after his two younger siblings while their mum was in hospital.

Passing sentence, Judge Adele Williams said: "Class A drugs are a real mischief in our society and those who deal in them cause havoc and misery."