A POSTMAN who fell into a cocaine habit because of stress over an arranged marriage has been jailed for drug dealing.

Police found about £4,500 worth of cocaine in Imran Nawaz’s bedroom at his Netherwoods Road home in Headington after a search in March last year.

The 28-year-old was sentenced to three years in prison at Oxford Crown Court on Wednesday.

Rachel Drake, prosecuting, said the 15.9 grams of the drug discovered in his house was extremely strong.

The court heard Nawaz had been battling cocaine addiction and his Royal Mail bosses had noticed his postal work was suffering.

Katriona Stanford, defending, said Nawaz had a “substantial habit” which came from the stress brought on by an arranged marriage. But she said he was now recovering with the help of a family friend.

She said: “With such a cocaine habit he could not perform properly at work. Now he can perform that job and that is evidence to suggest he has taken steps to deal with his habit.”

Nawaz was found guilty of possession with intent to supply on August 11 this year.

He also pleaded guilty to possessing a wrap of cocaine and also to possessing almost an ounce of cannabis.

Passing sentence, Recorder Nicholas Cole said he had taken into account Nawaz’s previous good character and “glowing” references from his employers.

He also said Nawaz’s dealing was not sophisticated.

But he said: “It was an unusually high level of purity.

“I take the view that this offence is so serious that public confidence would be undermined if any sentence other than immediate custody were imposed.”

Nawaz was sentenced to three years in prison for possession with intent to supply, six months for possession of cocaine, and three months for possession of cannabis.