A WORCESTER man will spend his 19th birthday in custody after admitting being in possession of cocaine with intent to supply.

Dale Howard was sentenced to 18 months in a young offenders institute at Worcester Crown Court yesterday.

The court was told Howard, of Larch Road, Tolladine, was caught in possession of cocaine while queuing to get into Breeez nightclub in St John's, Worcester, on Friday, February 23.

He was seen on CCTV to remove a package from his sock, put his finger inside and then rub his finger on his teeth. Police attended and Howard, who celebrates his 19th birthday next week, was searched. Two packets of cocaine were discovered tucked inside his socks.

Michael Aspinall, prosecuting, said: "The value of the cocaine was about £100, although Mr Howard said he had only paid £70 for it.

"Half was paid by him and half by his friend and they were to share the cocaine."

Howard admitted possessing a class A drug with intent to supply, although the judge accepted that it was not for commercial supply.

The court further heard that the offence had been committed while Howard was on bail for two previous possession of cocaine offences earlier in the year, plus a charge of escaping from police. He had admitted the offences.

In mitigation Nicholas O'Brian said Howard used the drug recreationally and was not involved in supplying it for his own gain.

He said: "He is a hard working young man who works 12 hours a day for his father."

Judge Andrews Geddes sentenced Howard to three months in a young offenders institute for the escape charge, three months each for the two possession charges, to run concurrently, and 15 months for the possession with intent to supply charge, to run consecutively.