A cannabis dealer who told the police his scales were solely for weighing pigeon rings was guilty of a flight of fancy when incriminating texts were found on his phone.

Inaam Hussain was caught with small amounts of the drug when the police searched both him and his home address on February 11 last year.

Hussain, 28, of Curzon Road, Bradford Moor, Bradford, was spared an immediate jail sentence at Bradford Crown Court this week for the low-level street dealing.

He thanked the judge, Recorder Taryn Turner, who told him: “Let that be an end to your drugs career.”

Hussain assured her that he would “one hundred per cent” kept out of trouble as he left the dock.

The court was told that he had no previous convictions and he had pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis with intent to supply it at an earlier hearing.

Prosecutor Paul Nicholson said the police went to an address near to Hussain’s home because a woman complained that men were in there taking drugs.

They executed a search warrant at the property and found a small amount of cannabis on Hussain and a phone.

They then turned their attention to his home and found more cannabis, scales, dealer bags and several phones.

Mr Nicholson said the 9.68 grams of cannabis seized could have been split into 14 street deals with a total value of up to £95.

Hussain told the police the scales in his possession were used to weigh pigeon rings.

But when his phone was downloaded, texts were found relating to the sale of cannabis, the court was told.

Hussain went on to make no comment in his second police interview.

His barrister, Ayman Khokhar said the drug dealing texts dated back only a month. There was nothing to show that the sales had begun any earlier than that.

Hussain’s hobby was flying pigeons and he cared for his elderly and infirm parents.

Mr Khokhar pointed to Hussain’s previous good character and said it was street selling at £10 a deal.

Recorder Turner said the text messages found on Hussain’s phone confirmed that he had been dealing cannabis, albeit at a low level.

She sentenced him to six months imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, with 100 hours of unpaid work.