A MAN has been jailed after police caught him with a "home made cosh" made from a snooker ball in a sock which he had stuffed down his trousers.

Shocked officers, who had stopped Majdi El-Hreich's car while searching for his friend, also found a second identical weapon, £600 of cocaine stuffed into a bread roll and two cannisters of CS spray gas.

Cardiff Crown court yesterday (Monday, September 17) heard the 45-year-old father, of Courtybella Gardens, Pill, Newport, has "lost everything" after his business was destroyed.

Rudderless, El-Hreich turned to drugs, and was under the influence when officers pulled him over in Newport on June 12 this year.

"The defendant was interviewed and came up with uninspiring excuses," James Evans, prosecuting, told the court.

"He is a person of hitherto clean character aside from two cautions in November last year for battery and resisting arrest."

Speaking in mitigation, Kevin Seal told the court that El-Hreich had t he full support of his family, who had written no fewer than four letters of reference to judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke

He also pointed to the fact that El-Hreich pleaded guilty at the first opportunity to two counts of possession of a prohibited weapon and one count of possession of cocaine.

"As far as the defendant is concerned, this is a big fall from grace," said Mr Seal.

"He has spent his life working hard and putting his family at the top of his priorities. The business he had built up over 15 years was destroyed overnight.

"Against that background and pressure he found his way into criminality as far as drugs are concerned.

"He tried to protect himself in a world that was essentially alien to him, and is fully aware of the shame he has brought on his family, and has shown complete remorse."

Sentencing El-Hreich to a total of 15-months in prison, Judge Lloyd-Clarke noted his previous good character and added that the time he had already served after being remanded in custody since his arrested would be taken off his total sentence.