The drug-addict son of a successful businessman has been jailed for six-and-a-half years after police seized heroin and cocaine worth £280,000 from his Bradford garage premises.

In May last year Matthew Midgley's father helped him set up MM Autos in Holme Lane, Bradford, but three months later police raided the business and found the father-of-one had been allowing a drugs wholesaler to store stock there.

'Serious though this is this was not a commercial decision to make money,'' said Midgley's barrister Richard Mansell.

'This was done purely to be kept in a healthy supply of Class A drugs for himself.'' Prosecutor John Bull told the court that during a search last August officers found five kilos of heroin and over 120 grammes of cocaine. They also seized 538 grammes of skunk cannabis and some cannabis resin which Midgley admitted were for his own use. The 29-year-old, of Batley Field Hill, Batley, pleaded guilty to charges of possessing heroin and cocaine with intent to supply as well as possessing the cannabis.

Midgley had just over £1,000 on him when he was arrested and Judge Christopher Prince was told that he would face confiscation proceedings later.

Mr Mansell said Midgley had a supportive family and had only been released on bail after his father put forward surety of £500,000 and lodged £30,000 with the court.

He said Midgley had foolishly provided a front for a major player in the drug world.

Despite his history of drug offending Midgley had stayed out of trouble for about three years following his last two-year prison sentence and Mr Mansell said he now felt he had let his family down.

"He was still in the grip of an addiction,'' said Mr Mansell. "It is cocaine that has been his problem.

"The heart of this case is this was a heroin dealer dealing wholesale and the defendant knew that.

"He (Midgley) took a huge risk and paid the price for it.'' Jailing Midgley, Judge Prince said his position was aggravated by the fact that he had served two years for similar offences.

Midgley pleaded guilty to the latest offences on the basis that although he knew some of the Class A drugs were being cut and wrapped on his premises he was not involved in that and he was not aware of the scale of the operation.

"This was deliberate and considered offending by you over that period of six weeks,'' Judge Prince told Midgley.

"The value of the drugs, namely the heroin and cocaine, is something over £282,000. In excess of a quarter of a million pounds when sold on the street.

"The fact that you have appeared before the court before for such offending aggravates the position that you are in today.

"Having been released from that sentence, you did avoid further offending until you engaged with the local drugs supplier making your premises available to him.''