AN asylum seeker and Worcester university student dealing cannabis from his city flat has been spared an immediate jail sentence.

Gaddafi Shakoor's flat in Windsor Avenue, St John's, Worcester, was raided by police where they seized cannabis and deal bags. The 23-year-old admitted possession of cannabis with intent to supply when he appeared at Worcester Crown Court on Friday.

Timothy Sapwell, prosecuting, said the warrant was executed on June 28 this year. Police seized 28g (an ounce) of cannabis) and £405 in cash. They found grinders, electric scales and grip-sealed bags. When interviewed the defendant said the cannabis was his and would sell it on to people he knew and 'friends of friends' to fund his own addiction.

He told them he came to Worcester University in September 2017 to study for a degree in animation and game art and also played for the university's basketball team.

Mr Sapwell placed the offence in category three of the sentencing guidelines ('street dealing') with a starting point of a year's custody and a range available to the sentencing judge of 26 weeks to three years in custody.

Shakoor had no previous convictions. "He's dealing in drugs to which he is himself addicted" said Mr Sapwell.

The defendant was interviewed by a probation officer before he was sentenced. The officer told Shakoor, originally from Croydon, that he was addicted to the lifestyle rather than the drug itself. Shakoor, a Somalian asylum seeker, had come to the UK at the age of 15 and was no longer smoking cannabis.

Jason Patel, defending, said his client had made admissions in police interview and referred to his previous good character, asking that he be given credit for his timely guilty plea. He said: "A big wake-up call for him was June 28 when he was arrested and his property searched."

Recorder Benjamin Nicholls said: "You were found to be running a a professional cannabis dealing operation.

"Cannabis was found in various quantities in your student lodgings. Some of the cannabis had been bagged into individual deals."

He said he also had 'all the normal a drug dealer obtains' including grinders, electronic scales and grip-sealed bags. He added: "You smoked cannabis yourself and you accept that you sold cannabis to people you knew in order to fund your own habit.

"You have never been before the court before. You had a difficult start in life, having travelled from Somalia to this country to seek asylum."

Shakoor was sentenced to six months in prison suspended for 12 months and ordered to complete 80 hours of unpaid work. A proceeds of crime application timetable has been drawn up which will involve confiscation.