AN engineer started dealing drugs after being made redundant because he was “too ashamed to claim benefits”.

Mechanical engineer Samuel Barson turned to selling drugs after being made redundant in December, Oxford Crown Court heard yesterday.

The 25-year-old, from Gibson Close, Abingdon, was sentenced after earlier admitting possessing a Class A drug with intent to supply.

Prosecutor Nikki Duncan said police suspected Barson was a dealer and stopped him in the car park of the One Stop store in Wootton Road, Abingdon, on April 24.

Searching his Alfa Romeo, officers found 31.61g of cocaine valued at about £1,200, alongside two sets of scales and two mobile phones.

The defendant was found with £320, which he admitted was from dealing, and a garage he rented was later searched and found to contain “a pricing list, more pieces of paper and plastic wraps and two other sets of digital scales”, said Miss Duncan.

Barson told officers: “I was stupid, I’ve only started dealing since I was made redundant in December.”

Lucy Ffrench, defending, said her client had dealt “a maximum of six or seven ounces” of cocaine since December and “feels very regretful and ashamed”.

She added: “He didn’t enjoy the lifestyle during which he was selling drugs at all, and recognises he was in a downward spiral. He was too ashamed to claim state benefits.”

Recorder Nicholas Cole jailed Barson for three years.