A man caught with wraps of cocaine in his underwear has been jailed for two and a half years after telling police they were “bang on” when they suspected he was guilty of drug dealing.

Daniel Higginson was desperate for money and had the bailiffs at his door when he was seen dealing in Shipley town centre on the afternoon of February 18, Bradford Crown Court heard yesterday.

He pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine with intent to supply and was jailed on a video link to Leeds Prison where he was remanded in custody.

Prosecutor Camille Morland said Higginson was imprisoned for four years in October, 2016, for drug trafficking offences.

He was caught with £5,000 of cocaine and cannabis, and £690 of cash that was criminal property.

In February, police officers spotted him dealing at the wheel of a white Volkswagen Golf in Dale Street at 2.15pm.

Higginson, 29, of Main Street, Bingley, was blocked in the cul-de-sac and detained.

Miss Morland said he at first threatened the officers with violence but was then frank and co-operative with the investigation.

He said he had multiple bags of cocaine in his underwear, the court was told.

A plastic capsule found on him contained seven wraps of the Class A drug worth £38.

Higginson said he was struggling to manage financially in the coronavirus pandemic. He had lost his job and his partner and the bailiffs were at his door.

He told the officers where to find dealer bags and other drugs paraphernalia at his home.

Higginson revealed that the police had caught him selling three bags of cocaine to a woman for £30.

His barrister, Christopher Styles, said he was right at the bottom of the drugs supply industry. He had under a gram of cocaine worth less than £40.

He was living in a small studio flat and had since been evicted.

When asked by the police if he was guilty of drug dealing, Higginson replied: “Absolutely, yes, bang on.”

“This is a true and proper full credit case,” Mr Styles said.

After his release from prison for the previous drug dealing matter, he had obtained work as a labourer and stayed out of trouble. When he lost his job, he was begging the DWP to help him.

Higginson had diabetes and other serious health issues that make him extremely clinically vulnerable in prison, Mr Styles said. He was on full lockdown and worried about catching Covid-19.

Recorder Anthony Kelbrick said that others who had suffered in the pandemic had not turned to criminality. But he recognised that Higginson had serious physical health problems and had been frank with the police.