A CHURCH-GOING student has been locked up for a year for running a drugs hotline.

James Chambers, of Blythwood Road, Crouch Hill - whose mother serves Holy Communion at their local catholic church every day - was busted after he stashed three bags of cannabis in his car.

Blackfriars Crown Court heard Chambers, 19, aroused the suspicion of police because he was wearing a hoodie.

Gavin Ludlow-Thompson, prosecuting, said: “Police patrols were in an area well-known for drug dealing and had occasion to spot the defendant who was alone and wearing a hooded top.

“They lost sight of him but later saw him in the driver’s seat of a vehicle appearing to be discarding something.”

They found “a number of bags of cannabis” inside the car, he said.

Chambers, who is doing an NVQ in construction at Camden Jobtrain, claimed they were for personal use.

But as he was driven to his home for police to search his property, he confessed he had more drugs including cocaine there.

Inside his locked bedroom were the hallmarks of dealing, including more cannabis, a tick-list, numbers, names, scales, �205 in cash and four grams of white powder containing cocaine.

“Two mobile phones on him were constantly ringing, receiving messages,” said the lawyer.

“They were likely to be coming from people expecting to be provided with drugs by him.”

Veronica Ramsden, prosecuting, claimed Chambers, one of seven children, had been buying drugs in bulk only to supply to friends.

He was a “model pupil” at school but started smoking cannabis at 13.

Despite his habit the barrister described him as a “hard worker” who was about to sit his finals and become an apprentice in the construction industry.

But Judge Deva Pillay decided not to spare him jail and allow him to continue his education.

He said on Thursday, October 21: “The reality is those caught possessing class A drugs with intent to supply have to go to prison.

“There is no real alternative because the danger from consuming class A drugs is so pernicious within the community.”

The judge told him he would serve half the sentence in a young offenders’ institution before his release.

Chambers admitted two counts of possessing drugs with intent to supply on May 29 this year.