A Greek national who came to the UK legally to work to pay off his gambling debt but ended up dealing in drugs in the Stroud area has been jailed for 18 months at Gloucester Crown Court.

Anestis Tsepa, 21, of Toronto Road, Bristol, was spotted driving a Hyundai vehicle in the Cornhill area of Stroud and was stopped by police in Parliament Street on March 31, 2022, at around 3pm, the court heard on Friday (May 27).

Prosecutor Neil Treharne said: "Tsepa was the only person in the vehicle. He was found to have a quantity of class A drugs on him that had been hidden in a black sock stuffed into the vehicle's central console.

"The drugs were analysed as being 1.5grams of cocaine and a further 18 street deals of cocaine valued at £760. Tsepa's phone was also analysed and had evidence of street level drug dealing on it."

The court was told that the police made further checks which revealed that Tsepa didn't have any third-party insurance to drive the vehicle.

Michael Haggar, defending, stated that Tsepa had set up a coffee shop in Greece with his partner 18 months ago, but he soon got involved in gambling after attending local casinos.

He added: "This inevitably ended up with him getting into debt and this spiralled to some €10,000 which led him becoming involved in some shady groups.

"He had entered the UK lawfully, but once in the county he was pressurised into getting involved in drug dealing and was caught acting as a courier for others.

"Tsepa is deeply remorseful about this and he realises that drugs ruin lives. Unfortunately, his legal status in this country in no longer valid and he will be deported at the end of his inevitable prison sentence."

Tsepa pleaded guilty to being in possession of a quantity of cocaine with intent to supply on March 31, 2022, and driving without valid insurance on the same date.

The judge, Recorder David Chidgey told Tsepa: "You were found in possession of a quantity of class A drugs and a mobile phone that indicated that you had been involved in drug dealing.

"I accept you had a lesser role in the drugs operation in that you were a courier. However, there is no prospect of rehabilitation and as you don't have the right to work in this country, I have no option but to impose an immediate 18-month prison term."

The judge ordered that Tsepa's driving licence will be endorsed with six penalty points for having no insurance. He also ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the drugs and the deprivation of his mobile phone and to pay a victim surcharge.