A crack and heroin dealer who told police another crook had accidentally left drugs paraphenalia in his car has been jailed for six years.

Leon Reid, 27, was found guilty of possessing heroin and crack cocaine with intent to supply after a three day trial at Brighton Crown Court.

Reid, of Hayes, Middlesex, was arrested in July after a vehicle was stopped which had been seen to have been involved in a drug deal in Buckingham Road, Brighton.

A search of the car recovered £600 worth of both heroin and crack cocaine, more than £3,000 in cash and assorted mobile phones containing evidence of drug dealing.

He told the court that he had had a recent argument with his girlfriend in London and that he had stolen her car and driven it to Brighton.

Upon arrival he claimed that he had then met a dealer who supplied him the drugs.

He also claimed that the same dealer must have accidentally left two phones containing drug dealing texts within the car.

Reid had originally stated the crack cocaine and heroin were for his personal use, despite the fact that there was no evidence that he was a user of class A drugs.

Detective Constable Mark Pinder, who led the investigation, said: "This is a great result against a drug dealer who had simply lied his way through the whole investigation.

"The investigation team worked hard to ensure that the evidence was clear court result serves as a reminder to drug dealers who come to Brighton that they will be found, arrested and sent to prison. He is one more drug dealer off our streets."