A RADIO programmer, who bought cannabis in bulk on behalf of his friends, was caught out in a drugs raid, a court heard.

Samuel Taylorson was arrested when police raided his home in Elgar Close, Brighton Hill, on July 25, last year.

The 23-year-old appeared in the dock at Winchester Crown Court having admitted simple possession, which involved four deal bags of skunk cannabis with a street value of £70, and being concerned in the supply of the drug.

Tessa Hingston, prosecuting, said: “He has accepted that when the premises where he was living with his brother was subject to a police search, there was found a quantity of snap seal bags, scales and indeed a deal list.

“Messages on a mobile phone indicated he was supplying cannabis to various others over a period of four months, from March to July 2014.”

Robert Simpson, defending, said: “It was a group of about 12 people he was supplying to for a period of four months, not to people that he did not know.

“It was a group of friends that pooled their money together. He got his deal for free and that was the sole benefit to him in this system.”

Mr Simpson added that Taylorson has kicked his cannabis habit, got a girlfriend and was about to take a tenancy at a new house since his arrest. He had also got a job as a radio programmer.

Judge Andrew Barnett gave him a 12-month community order, with 150 hours unpaid work.