A FORMER prisoner once jailed for more than four years for drug dealing claimed he was taking a class A drug to get himself clean of heroin.

Richard Portsmouth, aged 32, of George Street, Worcester, admitted possession of an amphetamine (class B) and possession of methadone (class A) when he appeared before magistrates in Worcester.

Portsmouth was in Malvern when he was stopped by police on March 14 and they found in his possession a bag of white powder which he said was paracetamol but which further analysis revealed to be amphetamine.

Fred Pilkington, prosecuting, said when he was arrested, Portsmouth tested positive for opiates and his home was searched to reveal two bottles of methadone.

Portsmouth has previous convictions, including a 54- month prison sentence for possession of heroin with intent to supply.

Mark Turnbull, defending, said he was still on licence for the drugs offence, which led to the 54-month prison sentence, and he would be until the end of January next year after he was released from prison in November last year.

Mr Turnbull said no value had been assigned to the amphetamines but that the methadone was worth about £30.

“I would suggest regarding the quantity they’re relatively small amounts. He made full admissions at the police station,” he said.

Mr Turnbull said Portsmouth had chosen to live in Worcester, away from his home town of Malvern, to distance himself from some “old associations” and because he felt the opportunity to find work would be greater.

He said: “In the early part of this year he relapsed into the use of heroin. That has been the problem in the past.

“The reason for purchasing the methadone was to try to self-detoxify from the heroin.”

He did not tell his probation officer about the relapse because he feared he would be recalled on his licence although that was not the case, Mr Turnbull said.

Portsmouth is now seeing a drugs worker and he is on methadone.

He was fined £55 for possession of class A drugs and no separate penalty was imposed for the possession of class B. He was ordered to pay costs of £85 and a surcharge of £20.