A drug dealer who was caught out when police pulled him over for looking sleepy has been jailed for three years.

Zdenek Charvat, 35, of Lofting Road, Islington, was spotted by officers on patrol in June 2014 when he was driving his blue Nissan Panel Van at about 10mph along St Peters Street towards Essex Road.

Officers believed that the sleepy looking Charvat could be under the influence of drink or drugs and stopped him.

He was questioned at the side of the road and told police he had ketamine in his pockets before they searched him and found the bag of white powder.

He was arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply Class B drugs.

Later police carried out a search of his home address where they found that he was also storing a significant amount of Class A drug MDMA. Charvat was then arrested on the more serious suspicion of possession with intent to supply Class A drugs.

He was charged in November last year and pleaded guilty at Blackfriars Crown Court on April 10.

Charvat was sentenced to three years in prison at the same court on May 1.

Detective Constable Jose Lagares, from Islington borough police, said: “This conviction sends out a very clear message to those who supply illegal drugs that they will be dealt with vigorously by police in Islington.”

As well as his three year imprisonment for possession with intent to supply Class A and 18 months imprisonment for possession with intent to supply Class B. These sentences are to run concurrently.

The court ordered that the drugs be forfeited and destroyed under section 27 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.