A Kendal drug user who supplied scores of ecstasy tablets to a sub-dealer was spared prison by a judge who heard he had swiftly held his hands up to the offence and since kicked his habit.
Dawid Lisowski, 36, was working as a chef at a South Cumbria school at the time police raided his home, on March 13 last year.
Officers found 168g of cannabis, two sets of electronic scales, 140 ecstasy tablets and cash totalling £3,645, most of which was in a safe.
It emerged Lisowski had peddled the tablets to a sub-dealer – occasionally 30-40 at a time – for £5 each, making a small profit on each one.
It was accepted the cash sum seized related to his employment, although Carlisle Crown Court heard today the forfeiture of this money was not resisted.
Lisowski, a man of previous good character who had held down regular and legitimate work, admitted possession of class A ecstasy and class B cannabis with intent to supply.
The court was told he had been entirely co-operative with police, only supplied to one person and had since made “determined” steps to address his drug use, which had ceased.
At the time of his offending, Lisowski, of Aynam Road, Kendal, was experiencing difficulties having separated from his wife.
After hearing mitigation, Judge Nicholas Barker suspended a two-year jail term for two years, and imposed 240 hours’ unpaid work and a three-month electronically monitored night-time curfew.
“I don’t expect you will be stupid enough to offend again,” Judge Barker told him. “You can consider yourself fortunate.”