A RUNCORN drug dealer who admitted supplying cannabis to his son’s friends was given an eight month prison sentence suspended for 18 months.

Ian Ainge, aged 49, of Davenport Row, Halton Lodge, appeared at Warrington Crown Court on Wednesday, January 29.

Lewis-Jones Meirion, prosecuting, said 83 bags of cannabis worth £830 were found at his home during a search on July 3, last year, each marked up for £10.

Ainge said he used profits from selling the drugs to fund his personal use.

Mr Lewis-Jones said: “Very large payments had been made into his bank account over a number of years.”

He said the sum of £172,597.48 had been detected but the only available assets for proceeds of crime was £293.63.

Simon Berkson, defending, said there was no evidence that the large sum of money had anything whatsoever to do with drugs.

He said Ainge had pleaded guilty at the first opportunity and has co-operated with a proceeds of crime enquiry.

He said Ainge was needed at home to support his wife as she had suffered a brain injury and his son, who suffers epilepsy, was about to undergo surgery.

Judge Trevor Jones said: “I am sorry your family is dependent on you. This is something you should have thought about before you indulged in this trafficking.”

Ainge was given a supervision order for 12 months and ordered to complete 160 hours unpaid work.