A MIDDLE-aged man found with almost £7,000 of drugs at his Worcester home wanted to “recapture his youth by indulging in cocaine”, his barrister told Worcester Crown Court.

Charles Hamer, defending, told the court this seemed to be the only reason which Steven Homer, a hard-working family man, had set up drug dealing from his home in Hemsby Close, St Peter’s, Worcester.

Homer, aged 52, was jailed for 32 months by Recorder William Edis QC who remarked: “It seems that in middle age you decided to become a drug dealer.”

The court was told that police raided his home in July last year and found portions of cocaine in various rooms.

Some of the class A drugs were in the washing machine and a cutting agent was found buried in a box in the garden.

There were also scales and a list of names. The total value of the drug was £6,930, said prosecutor Amrisha Parathalingam.

Mr Hamer, who submitted references, said Homer knew his activity in the drugs field was frowned upon and he expected an immediate custodial sentence.

Recorder Edis said he felt Homer was well down the supply chain and nowhere near “Mr Big”.

But he had persisted in the trade and a small amount of cannabis had also been found but this could have been for personal use.

He imposed a 12-month conditional discharge for the possession of the cannabis and ordered him to co-operate in a proceeds of crime investigation.