A BT engineer was jailed for 27 months on Tuesday for selling cocaine to an undercover police officer on six occasions in South Oxhey.

Paul Kelly, 41, sold the policeman a wrap from his home and was filmed dealing the drug in the car park of The Ox pub in Bridlington Road.

Prosecutor Edward Lewis told St Albans crown court that the officer had been put in touch with Kelly in March by a drinker in The Ox who said he was able to supply "good gear".

They went to Kelly's home where the officer paid him £40 for a wrap, allowing the fixer to take a small amount. He met him at the pub another day and dealt him a second wrap, again for £40 for half a gram of cocaine. 

He was recorded pulling up in his BT van the next day and selling two wraps for £80. There were three more deals in April in which he sold four more wraps.

Kelly, of Matlock Crescent, was arrested and made no comment to police questions. He appeared for sentence after pleading guilty to six charges of supplying a Class A drug. He was of previous good character.

Dawn Pearson, defending, handed the judge character references and said: "It is a puzzle as to why Mr Kelly got himself involved in this offence." 

She said the father-of-three had split from his partner in 2007 and began taking cocaine. "It became a habit and then addiction. By 2014 he accepts he was supplying cocaine to satisfy his addiction."

Ms Pearson said Kelly, who was supported in court by his brother and new partner, was very remorseful. He had been seeking help from a drug charity. She said he had resigned from BT and had been working as a roofer. 

Judge Stephen Gullick told him: "You clearly have two sides to you. You are a hard-working family man and your friends speak well of you. The other side is from 2007 you have taken significant quantities of cocaine."

The judge said Kelly had become a street dealer, passing on small amounts of cocaine for reward.  He said this meant he had to receive a prison sentence.