Drug dealer Christopher Mounty, who was twice caught bringing heroin and crack cocaine to Trowbridge from Bristol, has been jailed for five-and-a-half years.

When police raided Christopher Mounty’s home in Wheat Close, Trowbridge, they also found an air pistol and ammunition, although he was banned from owning one.

Hannah Squire, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court how the 31-year-old was first arrested in May when he was in a car which police stopped, believing it was on a ‘drugs run’ from Bristol.

Mounty was the front seat passenger and in the foot well they found a bag containing up to £2,500 worth of drugs: the packaging for 14.1 grams of heroin and 27.3 grams of crack cocaine had his DNA on it, and he was carrying £200 in cash

He was next arrested in June as he got off a train from Bristol, when police again believe he was bringing drugs to the town. When he was They believed he had hidden the drugs on himself, and later found a package which contained 13 grams of crack, worth up to £1,000 on the streets.

Mounty was on bail when he was arrested for the third time in September: police raising his home woke him from a sleep on the sofa, and he swept a quantity of loose heroin which was being bagged up on the coffee table across the carpet.

Officers also found a snap loading .77 calibre air pistol and ammunition and £450 in cash.

Miss Squire said that as he had received a four-year jail term in March 2010 after admitting possessing heroin and crack cocaine with intent to supply he is banned from ever possessing an air weapon.

Mounty pleaded guilty to four counts of possessing drugs with intent to supply and one of having the weapon.

Tony Bignall, defending, said his client was well aware he was facing a lengthy jail term. "He's not getting any younger and he is hoping he can leave this criminal lifestyle behind him," he said. His client had owned the gun before his previous sentence, and had just had it lying around in the house.

Jailing him Judge Tim Mousley QC said "You have an appalling record of convictions which include supplying drugs. Also you have previous for a fairly serious assault.

"You continued to sell drugs even when you were on bail, that increases the sentence I must impose and you have a conviction not very long ago for doing exactly the same."