A DRUG dealer has been jailed after being caught with ketamine, ecstasy and cocaine in Swanage.

Matthew Kenneth Timothy Bates was sentenced to two years and nine months after pleading guilty to two counts of possession with intent to supply class A drugs, possession and intent to supply a class B drug and resisting a constable.

He was caught after being spotted with the drugs wraps on his lap while sat in a parked car.

The resisting charge came after Bates, aged 32 and of Higher Days Road, Swanage, tried fighting officers as they tried to detain him.

Bates was sentenced at Bournemouth Crown Court on Monday, March 8, after admitting the offences at the same court during a hearing on September 24, last year.

Detective Constable Kelly Wood, of Weymouth CID, said: “I am pleased that we were able to bring Bates before the court.

"Drug-related crime can have a real detrimental impact on our communities and we are determined to do all we can to catch offenders."

The court heard that around 11pm on Thursday, August 1, 2019, Dorset Police received a tip off about a Seat car parked on Exeter Road, Swanage, with a driver believed to have wraps of white powder on his lap.

When police investigated and approached the driver's door, where Bates was sat, he was seen hiding a substance into the pocket of his hooded top.

Bate then got out of the car and started to run away, but was stopped by officers.

This was when Bates started to try and fight with police.

However, he was found to be in possession of a quantity of illegal drugs and a small amount of cash, before being arrested and taken into custody.

A search of Bates’ home address was carried out and a sock containing £990 in cash was located.

The drugs that were seized were analysed and found to be cocaine, ketamine and MDMA with the total value estimated to be between £540 and £1,150.