A FATHER of two from Basingstoke was forced to deal drugs after borrowing £10,000 to pay for his daughter’s medical treatment.

Nicolae Timirasu was roped into the illicit activity dealing cocaine for the Pablo county lines network in Basingstoke while his daughter was undergoing treatment for suspected cancer in his native country, Romania.

The 46-year-old was stopped by a plain-clothed police officer in the Waitrose car park in Basing View on September 30 after a man was witnessed obtaining cocaine, Winchester Crown Court heard on Friday (December 3).

Timirasu was found with four wraps of cocaine on his person and a further 35 wraps were discovered in his car, alongside £970 in cash.

Police then searched his address in Packenham Road, Kings Furlong where they found a further £4,325, four sets of scales and a dealers list of contact details.

A search of his phone saw a contact listed as ‘Pabby’, referring to the county lines network Pablo, according to prosecutor Rebecca Fairbairn.

Appearing for the defence, Dana Bilan told the court how he borrowed money from the wrong people to pay for his daughter’s treatment.

She said: “He has borrowed money from these people and was subsequently asked to do the drugs for them.

“As a result he finds himself here today due to be sentenced for this offence.

“Mr Timirasu is the sole provider for the family financially and he is in tears every time he talks of his daughter, he said ‘I would do anything for my kids’.”

Miss Bilan said the defendant’s wife and kids, who were born in the UK and now live in Romania, are “reliant upon him financially”.

He was sentenced to 41 months imprisonment for being concerned in the supply of cocaine.

Recorder Gordon Bebb QC told the court that he was satisfied Timirasu knew the “scale” of the drug dealing.

He said: “I sentence you for being concerned in the supply of cocaine, you effectively were caught dealing Class A drugs on the streets.

“It indicates that you were playing an operational role in street supply.

“I take into account what you say about the offending, what you say about financial pressure and the health issues regarding one of your children, but I am satisfied you were aware of the scale.”

Timirasu will also pay a victim surcharge, the cash was forfeited, and the drugs will be destroyed.

The conviction now means he may face deportation to Romania on his release.