A MAN who threw away more than £1,000 worth of crack cocaine as he ran away from police in a Swindon street has been jailed for a year.

Lavel King hurled the package as he fled from an officer who had spotted a suspected drug deal taking place in a town centre car park.

And, after hearing that the 23-year-old was just looking after the drugs for his dealer, a judge sitting at Swindon Crown Court imposed the 12-month sentence.

Lynne Henderson, prosecuting, said a policeman was watching the Granville Street car park on Tuesday, June 30 last year when he saw the defendant pull up in a BMW.

Shortly afterwards a Ford Mondeo parked in front of the car and the driver got out to speak to King, who was standing outside his vehicle.

She said the officer thought a drug deal was taking place so identified himself to the men as a policeman.

King tried to drive away but the officer managed to grab the keys to stop him.

As the policeman spoke to the other driver, King jumped out of the BMW and ran off on to Commercial Road with the officer in pursuit.

“As the defendant ran, he was observed by a witness and she told the police that she had seen the defendant throw something,” Miss Henderson said.

“She seized it and handed it to other police officers who had arrived on the scene.”

The package contained three separate quantities of crack cocaine weighing a total of just over 22 grams.

When King was searched he also had a wrap containing 1.9 grams of the drugs.

All together the drugs had a street value of up to £1,500.

He also had a bag containing just under £640 in cash and three mobile telephones.

King told police all of the drugs were for his own use and denied possession with intent to supply, adding he had the money to buy some white goods for his partner.

But before a jury could be sworn in King changed his plea to admit the offence saying he was holding them for a short period for his dealer.

King, of Heronbridge, Swindon, admitted to possessing crack cocaine with intent to supply and possession of the smaller amount.

Rob Ross, defending, said his client had a history of minor offending associated with an addict with a number of convictions for possessing various drugs.

He said on the day he had been asked to look after the package for a period and was to return it to his dealer.

Mr Ross said his client worked for his father as a painter and decorator.

Jailing him, Judge Euan Ambrose said “The seriousness of this offence is that your actions, had they not been disrupted by the police would have enabled a crack cocaine dealer to avoid detection.”