POLICE found ten bags of amphetamine stashed in the engine of a man's car after they raided his home, a court heard.

John Paul Coglan, 26, was in debt to his dealer and, as a result, came to an agreement where he offered up his garage so it could be used for amphetamine deals.

Coglan, who was addicted to the drug, also known as speed, supplied scales and plastic bags so the amphetamine could be weighed and shared out

Shaun Dryden, prosecuting at Teesside Crown Court, said police searched Coglan's home on May 27 and found a bag of amphetamine in a bedroom and £375 cash.

They then found the ten-bag stash in the defendant's Vauxhall Cavalier, parked in the garage.

In total, the value of the amphetamine seized was £1,325.

Coglan, of Rodney Walk, Bishop Auckland, County Durham, admitted possession of the drug and possession with intent to supply.

Martin Towers, mitigating, said Coglan had an escalating drug habit which had led him into debt,

He said that after the agreement to use the garage was struck, he gave the supplier a key so he could get access to it.

Jailing Coglan for 12 months, Judge Michael Taylor said: "You were actively assisting someone else who was the main street dealer. You were involved in the supply chain and knew exactly what you were doing."