A man described as vulnerable has been jailed for four-and-a-half years for heroin trafficking.

Vincent Sims, aged 20, was caught with £6,730 of the drug as well as £3,741-worth of cannabis at his home in Douglas.

Sims was said to have been befriended a man who he said had bullied him into storing the drugs.

When arrested he told police: ’I am a victim. I’m not in control of my life.’

Deemster Alastair Montgomerie told Sims: ’Class A drugs cause misery and suffering, not only to addicts but the family and friends of addicts.

’Drugs such as heroin can destroy communities. Bear in mind it’s your misuse of cannabis that led you to the individual that has placed you in this position today.

’That is how drug dealers get their minders. That is how they get their donkeys.’

Earlier, prosecutor Rachael Braidwood told the court that on January 12 police executed a search warrant at Sims’ home.

The defendant told police there were drugs in the kitchen and police found three wraps of heroin weighing an ounce each and seven blocks of cannabis in a tub marked ’American Gangster’.

Also seized was a phone, tick list, scales and snap bags.

The heroin was weighed at 67.3 grams with a purity of 27%.

When interviewed Sims admitted selling cannabis to fund his own habit.

He said he was storing drugs for a man and was in fear of reprisals as he was being bullied and victimised by him.

The court heard that Sims was diagnosed with autism.

It was accepted that there had been threats but they did not amount to duress.

Sims entered a basis of plea saying that he had selling cannabis but that he had never dealt in class A drugs.

Defence advocate Stephen Wood said: ’It is regrettable individuals have initially befriended Mr Sims and that friendship has been abused.

’What their intent was at the outset perhaps is unclear but their ultimate motivation became apparent.

’Mr Sims didn’t have the drugs in his possession a great deal of time. His role is effectively a minder.

’He accepts as a result of his inability to say "no" he’s going to spend time in Jurby.’

Mr Wood went on to say that, if there was a ’silver lining’, it was that as a result of the case the support agency Autism Initiatives would be working more closely with the prison in future.