A FINE arts student and his friend narrowly avoided jail yesterday for delivering drugs for a dealer to fund their cannabis habit.

Neil Crockley and Christopher Donnison were told by a judge to make the most of their chance as Balel Manir was jailed for two-and-a-half years.

Manir, 22, recruited student Crockley, 23, to sell his drugs.

When he was busy at university, Donnison, 25, stepped in, Teesside Crown Court heard.

The three were due to be sentenced last month, but the case was postponed after a request from Crockley’s barrister, Duncan McReddie.

Mr McReddie said Crockley was due to stage a show that would count towards his degree, and asked that his three years of hard work was not wasted.

The judge, Recorder Michael Slater, gave Crockley a 12-month jail term, suspended for two years, and ordered him to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work for the community.

He gave Donnison, who works in the music industry, a six-month jail sentence, suspended for 18 months, and ordered him to carry out 100 hours of community work.

The three were arrested in March last year, but after being bailed, Manir was caught three times with the drug.

His barrister, Paul Fleming, said the pizza shop worker had stopped dealing, but resumed when his habit got out of control.

He said Manir’s imprisonment would affect his girlfriend and two young children and his father’s takeaway business.

Mr McReddie and Peter Wishlade, for Donnison, said their clients led Bohemian lifestyles and sold drugs to fund habits that they have now kicked.

The pair, both from Aske Road, Middlesbrough, admitted possessing Class B drugs with intent to supply on March 1, last year.

Manir, of Park Vale Road, Middlesbrough, admitted the same charge as well as three others.

Mr McReddie said: “Mr Crockley is a fine arts student.

It is almost an obligatory part of the Bohemian lifestyle.”

Mr Wishlade said: “Mr Donnison also lived, to some degree, a Bohemian lifestyle. He is connected to the music industry and is a skateboarder.”