A drug dealer has been sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison after pleading guilty to possession of heroin and crack cocaine.

Theodore Lynch, of Darrell Place, off Dereham Road, Norwich, pleaded guilty to the two counts at Norwich Crown Court yesterday.

The father-of-three was caught with drugs in Norwich on Boxing Day last year. His defence lawyer conceded that there had been some low-level drug dealing by Lynch, 28, but said he was not someone who would 'fit into the cast of Miami Vice'.

Prosecuting, Sattam Al-Mugheiry said that Lynch had been seen with another man on St Giles on Boxing Day at 3pm by a police officer on his way to work.

The police officer went to work and returned shortly after, finding Lynch with five wraps of heroin, �427 in cash and two mobile phones.

The man with him was found with a further seven wraps, �235 and three mobile phones.

Mr Al-Mugheiry said that the man had been wearing Lynch's jacket, and that the wraps belonged to Lynch,

Police later searched both men's houses. At Lynch's address they found cocaine and heroin. In total the amount on him and at his house totalled 10 wraps of heroin and four wraps of crack-cocaine, with an estimated street value of �183. The man with him had wraps but no drugs at his address.

In defence, Michael Clare said that his client had become involved in drugs 18 months ago. He had spent time living in the YMCA after splitting up with the mother of two of his children. He said: 'He began using drugs himself, mixing with the wrong crowd and things became worse thereafter.

'He was not somebody who set out to set up a commercial business.'

Mr Clare said Lynch supplied a small number of people on a low level and said that the cash found on him was a combination of benefits and money given to him for Christmas from his relatives.

He said: 'If he only has �420, with some for benefit and Christmas gifts, it is hardly someone who would fit into the cast of Miami Vice. He is a low-level street dealer.'

Mr Clare added that Lynch was no longer involved in drugs and was about to become a joint tenant of a council house.

Judge Martin Binning sentenced him to 30 months in prison. A proceeds-of-crime hearing will be heard on Monday, as the Crown Prosecution Service tries to claim the �427.