A drug dealer caught with cannabis worth a street value of £50,000 at his home has been jailed for two years by a judge.

Officers from Suffolk police’s Operation Sentinel team attended the home of Lewis Whitehouse in Pakefield Road, Lowestoft, on September 28 as part of an ongoing operation.

Ipswich Crown Court heard how Whitehouse, 24, initially tried to evade officers by leaving out of the back door of his home but then admitted there was cannabis in the property.

Prosecutor John Carmichael told the court a search was carried out and 5.36kg of cannabis was recovered, with an estimated street value of £50,000.

A mobile phone was also seized.

In police interview, Whitehouse, a father-of-one, gave a full admission and said he had received the drugs around 30 minutes before officers arrived.

He said he planned on distributing the drugs later that day but did not reveal who he was supplying to, Mr Carmichael told the court.

He admitted to dealing cannabis for the past 18 months and said he was doing it to support his young family, the court heard.

Whitehouse previously pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply class B drugs at magistrates’ court.

The court heard that Whitehouse had no previous convictions for supplying drugs.

Jude Durr, defending, said Whitehouse was “still a young man” who had chosen the wrong path.

“It’s a sad case because this is a young man who has struggled to launch himself as an adult,” Mr Durr said.

“He simply chose the wrong route, as so many do in these circumstances, to make money quickly.”

Sentencing Whitehouse at Ipswich Crown Court on Wednesday, Judge Rupert Overbury told him: “You made numerous admissions in interview.

“You said you had been dealing cannabis over 18 months and that cannot be ignored.

“I accept that you were cooperative with police from the outset. You have no previous convictions for supplying drugs and your motivation was to provide for your family.”

Judge Overbury handed Whitehouse a two-year jail term and he must serve half of his sentence in custody before being released on licence.