A DEALER caught with cannabis when police raided his home was spared jail yesterday.

Stephen Goodchild had 253g of resin in an outhouse and 227g in his kitchen.

Goodchild, who served a prison sentence for dealing cannabis last year, also had pipes and weighing scales at his flat in Grindleford Court, South Shields, South Tyneside.

He admitted possessing the class C drug with intent to supply, during an earlier hearing at Newcastle Crown Court. Prosecutors accepted his plea on the basis he was a minor dealer.

Ailsa MacDonald, in mitigation, said that since he was caught, Goodchild had found a job, started a new relationship and weaned himself off cannabis.

Recorder Ben Nolan said Goodchild should be jailed, but said: "I do not want to do anything which disrupts the progress which has been made."

Goodchild was ordered to carry out 100 hours of community work.