A FATHER-of three, from Halesowen, sold crystal meth he had been given as part payment of a £4,000 debt, a court heard.

Iranian-born Babak Bosijin had carried out work on a friend's motorcycle and ended up out of pocket, Andrew Jackson, defending, told Wolverhampton Crown Court.

He said Bosijin, aged 38, accepted more than £2,000 worth of the Class A drug as a down payment on the money he was owed and began selling to friends and acquaintances from the East European community in the area.

Recorder James Steel told Bosijin, who came to the UK as a refugee from Iran in 2000: “"You were a street dealer.”

He said it was to his credit it was the first time he had been involved with controlled drugs but ruled the offence was too serious for him to be allowed to keep his freedom and jailed him for 33 months.

Jobless Bosijin, who admitted possessing the drug with intent to supply, was described by Mr Jackson as "not an accomplished or successful drug dealer".

Howard Searle, prosecuting, said police found 23 wraps of the crystal meth together with dealer bags and a set of scales at his Birmingham Road home.

The officers also recovered two mobile phones and when questioned Bosijin told them he had been given the drugs by a man who failed to pay for work he had carried out on a motorcycle.

He said he had received around £500 from sales of the drug and was owed a further £300 knowing the drug was popular amongst Eastern European males.