A MAN has been jailed after £4,000 worth of heroin was found hidden under a flowerpot at an Oxford guest house.

Nathaniel Merchant, of no fixed address, admitted one count of possessing a Class A drug with intent to supply.

He was arrested after his stash was discovered at the All Seasons Guest House, in Windmill Road, Headington, on Wednesday, February 27, this year.

Merchant, pictured, was sentenced to 32 months behind bars at Oxford Crown Court on Friday.

Merril Hughes, prosecuting, said Merchant first drove to London to collect the drugs at around 3pm in a white Audi, which was spotted in Hackney.

The 26-year-old returned to Oxford for around 7.30pm, when he was seen by police inside the parked car in St Leonard’s Road near the All Season’s guest house.

They arrested him and searched the bungalow room where he was staying – finding 39.6g of heroin hidden underneath a flower pot outside the front door.

Officers also found plastic bags, a razor and traces of cocaine, heroin and MDMA inside his room, as well as messages from customers on his mobile phone.

Sumita Mahtab-Shaikh, defending, said her client had only been a “street dealer” who was being told what to do.

She said: “It is quite clear that Mr Merchant was under the direction of others because the vehicle he was driving was registered under another person’s name.

“And if he had been so heavily involved there would be more evidence of this, but there is none.”

He added that Merchant was a father-of-two who had done work as a painter and decorator, but had developed an expensive drug habit.

She said: “He was smoking £10 of cannabis a day and taking a gram of MDMA. But he is very aware of the impact that what he has done has had on the community.”

Merchant had previous convictions for possession of cannabis and one for possession of the Class B drug with intent to supply.

Recorder Andrew McCooey handed Merchant a 32-month prison sentence.

He said: “There is only one sentence for someone who deals Class A drugs and that is a long period of imprisonment.

“These drugs were worth a significant sum of money and you have a background of being involved in drugs.”