A DRUG user who offered to supply the illegal substances he was taking himself has been jailed for two years.

Darren Tate, 27, came to the attention of police after driving erratically in Penrith on March 7. More than £600 worth of class B skunk cannabis was located his vehicle, along with two class A ecstasy tablets.

Officers recovered weighing scales and plastic bags from the caravan in which he was then living. Damning texts on his mobile phone contained requests from other people who were asking him to supply the drugs that he was taking.

At Carlisle Crown Court today Tate admitted offering to supply ecstasy and cannabis over a two-month period earlier this year. He also pleaded guilty to the possession of ecstasy, and possessing cannabis with intent to supply.

His lawyer, John Smith, asked Judge Peter Davies to take the exceptional step of imposing a suspended jail term. A raft of character references were provided in support of Tate, of Hillcrest, Ousby, who was said to have kicked his drug habit.

But Judge Davies concluded that an immediate sentence was the only possible outcome, saying: "I cannot just ignore this sort of drugs supply."