An unemployed scaffolder who was caught with a 5kg of cannabis in a suitcase at Isle of Man Airport has been jailed.

Richard Cain, 36, had landed on a Loganair flight from Liverpool on January 8 this year when police sniffer dog Harley picked out a suspicious suitcase on the baggage carousel.

Police and Customs officers’ attention had been drawn to the defendant in the luggage reclaim area as he appeared nervous.

He had gone to the gents’ toilets and when he returned and collected his suitcase from the carousel he was detained.

The hardshell suitcase was forced open and inside was found just over 5 kilos of cannabis with a street value of £100,000.

Cain, of Prestwich, Greater Manchester, admitted production of cannabis and possession with intent to supply.

Interviewed by police, he claimed this was the first time he had brought drugs to the island, the Court of General Gaol Delivery heard.

Defence advocate David Reynolds said his client had started getting into debt as a result of cocaine misuse which had increased following the unexpected death of his father.

He had taken a loan out with a loan shark and had got behind on a payment which had led to him getting involved in the offence, Mr Reynolds said.

The defendant had been working as a scaffolder until August last year when he had become unemployed, the court was told.

Jailing him for a total of three years and four months, Deemster Graeme Cook said there must have been some links to organised crime but clear remorse had been shown.

Cain was handed an exclusion order banning him from the island for five years once he is released from prison.