A 20 year promising basketball player from Quedgeley has avoided jail, after admitting that he intended to supply his friends with Ecstasy.

Gianni Kelly, of Valley Gardens, Quedgeley, pleaded guilty at Gloucester Crown Court to possession of MDMA with intent to supply on 30th December last year.

He was caught with eight green tablets trying to enter the Registry nightclub at 2.30am, prosecutor Janine Wood told Judge Ian Lawrie QC.

After police were called, Kelly told them: "They are only green cherries - I just wanted to get off my nut before New Year."

Mrs Wood said that Kelly went on to tell officers that he had a further 50 to 60 tablets at his home address, which he agreed to show to them.

Judge Lawrie noted this was 'unusual candour'.

Mrs Wood said after police attended his address with them he pointed them out, and a further 46 green tablets with a cherry embossed on each were seized.

"They were tested and found to be MDMA, known as Ecstasy," she said.

Mrs Wood said that Kelly's mobile phone was analysed and messages dated 27th and 28th December were found that were consistent with social supply to his friends.

The prosecutor said Kelly gave a 'very frank interview' to police and noted his 'naivety and lack of sophistication.'

Judge Lawrie agreed saying: "There was a marked absence of sophistication."

Mrs Wood confirmed that Kelly was a 'man of good character'.

Kelly was representing himself as he did not qualify for legal aid, and had been quoted prices for lawyers that he could not afford due to his modest income through employment, the court heard.

He told the judge he understood the seriousness of his position.

He said the thing that frightened him the most was: "Finding out how serious it was and hearing the length of the sentence I could serve."

He told the judge he had not been taking drugs for very long: "I was in a rough spot. There was a period of November and December I was taking them.

"I was up town a fair bit, and people I should have stayed away from. The more I hung around with them the closer I came into contact with tablets."

The judge asked Kelly if he knew the reason why the offence was viewed so seriously.

"There is a real big effect not just on you, but on others," Kelly replied.

"I am working," he continued. "I have been for the past four months. I'm a machine operator."

Telling of his time in the run up to the offence he said: "I used to play a lot of basketball. I was on a scholarship, but I came back.

"I was bouncing between catering jobs. I was not truly happy with.

"On top of that, me and my partner at the time were having lots of arguments.

"The thing that pushed me over the top was my missus having a miscarriage. I did not seek help for it. I should have talked about it."

The judge said: "He has set things out with care and precision, better than most advocates."

He also referred to a 'thoughtful' letter that Kelly had written to him.

Probation service officer, Neil Hewitt suggested that Kelly had become involved in the offence as a way to show off to his friends and gain status by being the one who arranged to get drugs for their circle.

"He was let down by his friends in a way," Mr Hewitt said. "I would say his actions were trying to impress people, get people to like him. Perhaps tied in to self esteem."

Mr Hewitt said Kelly had done well in education, despite going to a school 'known for underachievement', attaining 11 GCSEs ranging between A* and C.

"He got a scholarship at 16 to be a professional basketball player. He had the chance to go to America, but funds ran out. It got too much financially," the probation worker said.

He told the judge that there were no issues probation needed to address and Kelly would be suitable for community service.

The judge ruled: "On one night he did something spectacularly stupid.

"I take the view, that we are all entitled to make one big mistake in life, and this is his.

"He has come skimming close to a prison sentence," the judge said, before announcing that he would impose a suspended jail term.

Imposing a 20 month jail term suspended for two years, with 150 hours of unpaid work, the judge told Kelly: "Nobody can hope more than me that you never grace this or any other criminal court again.

"You have been singularly stupid taking drugs in to club.

"It may seem just part of the social pattern, but believe me there is a heavy price to pay.

"I thought I had little option but to send you in to prison," the judge told him.

"The courts have to sentence these sort of cases with a social message. It will not be tolerated.

"But I am not going to send you to prison. You can appreciate and recognise you have let yourself down.

"Keep your nose clean, behave yourself, and I will never see you again.

"I have got little doubt you will comply with that order. Follow the order, never be so stupid ever again," the judge concluded.