A DRUG dealer caught red-handed in Oxton was on a life licence from prison after being convicted of murder.

John Cobain, who received youth custody for life in February 1988 at Maidstone Crown Court, for murder had been freed in 2000 and apart from a minor blip had kept out of trouble since.

But Liverpool Crown Court heard on Tuesday (May 26) that after losing his job he became involved in selling crack cocaine and heron which led to his arrest on April 27 this year.

Christopher Hopkins, prosecuting, told the court that at 4 pm that afternoon police were on patrol in Alfred Road, Oxton because of concerns about street drug dealing in the area.

Cobain, who was on a bicycle, was seen speaking to someone through a car passenger window and suspecting that a drug deal was taking place he was stopped and spoken to.

“He dropped a package to the floor. It was recovered and found to contain a wrap containing numerous wraps of white and brown powder.” Cobain, who was also found to have two mobile phones and a “tick sheet”, was arrested.

Mr Hopkins said that when police searched his home in Princess Terrace, Birkenhead, officers recovered 14 wraps of white powder and 64 wraps of white and brown powder and another tick list.

He said that the drugs tested positive for crack cocaine and heroin and they were in street deals.

51-year-old Cobain pleaded guilty to two offences involving possessing crack cocaine and heroin with intent to supply. The court heard that after being freed following his murder conviction in 2000 his only other conviction was for theft in 2007.

After his arrest for the drug dealing he has been recalled to prison on his life licence.

Jailing him for 40 months, starting today, Judge Garrett Byrne said that drugs “cause a huge amount of problems”, not only for the addicts but society in general.”

David Polglase, defending, said that apart from the theft conviction, Cobain had kept himself out of trouble after his release.

He said: “He had had drug problems in the past but had not let those to get on top of him and until a few years ago he was working for his brother as a roofer.”

Unfortunately he lost his job after getting pneumonia and “thought it wise - though unwise in hindsight - to assist someone else selling drugs. That person died and he carried on.”