A man who claimed he was dealing drugs to pay for university has been handed a suspended sentence.

Omari Acheampong, 20, was stopped and searched by police after he was seen acting suspiciously in Rustat Road, Cambridge.

Officers found three small bags of cocaine worth £75, three bags of MDMA crystals worth £120, a bag containing nine pink MDMA tablets worth £80, £87 cash and a mobile phone that contained drug dealing texts.

Police searched his home and found a further £470 worth of cannabis and MDMA tablets and crystals, deal bags, scales and £600 cash.

Acheampong, of Perne Avenue, Cambridge, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply MDMA and cocaine at Cambridge Magistrates’ Court on April 24.

He was sentenced yesterday (Tuesday June 12) at Cambridge Crown Court to two years in a youth offenders institute, suspended for 18 months.

He was also told to complete 220 hours’ unpaid work.