A former Norwich university medical student was dealing class A drugs to earn money to help try and get him through his studies, a court has heard.

Alex Springall, 23, was training to be a doctor at the University of East Anglia (UEA) when he was caught by security guards dealing drugs on campus.

Norwich Crown Court heard Springall was caught asking other students "if they wanted to buy some stuff" along University Drive on the campus.

Robert Brown, prosecuting, said police were called by security with officers finding bags of white powder as well as cash on him.

His address on the campus was also searched and more drugs in white bags were found as well as two mobile phones, with dealing messages on them, as well as other paraphernalia, including weighing scales and cash.

In total, class A drugs with a street value of between £2,800 and £4,700 were found as well as £1,500 in cash.

Springall, from Cardiff, appeared at court on Monday (April 4) for sentence after having previously admitted three counts of possession with intent to supply class A drugs, including cocaine and MDMA, on April 17, 2021.

Judge Anthony Bate said it was plain to see Springall was a "talented and intelligent man with a number of gifts" and so it was "all the more disappointing that you stand in a crown court awaiting sentence after admitting such serious offences".

The offences were described as the "height of folly" by Judge Bate who said the defendant stood to make "significant financial advantage".

Jailing Springall for 26 months, he said the offences were so serious that only immediate imprisonment could be justified.

He said a message had to be sent out that custody is to be expected for anyone "if they get involved in such an evil trade which brings so much misery in its wake".

Michael Clare, mitigating, said many people speak highly of the defendant who had been involved in selling drugs to earn "a few hundred pounds to get him through his studies".

Mr Clare said there was no "significant financial advantage" to the offending through which he has already suffered a great deal having lost his place on the medical course at the UEA as a result.