A drugs hearing took a bizarre twist when the dealer revealed he had a hidden artistic talent.

As Daniel Edwards from Medway was about to be returned to jail pending his sentence, he asked permission to give "his girl" a detailed drawing of them both.

The 25-year-old had made it while on remand while awaiting a jail sentence for three offences of drug dealing.

The 2ft piece of art was then passed to his barrister, Mary Jacobson, and then shown to Judge Stephen Thomas.

A woman in the public gallery at Maidstone Crown Court then began crying as the defence barrister explained: "He has made an artistic drawing which he wants to give to his girl. As your honour can see, he seems to have an undiscovered artistic side to him."

The drawing was then passed to Edwards' girlfriend who took it with her as she left.

Edwards, of no fixed address, but formerly of Dock Road, Chatham, had been arrested in November last year, after officers found him dealing on a push bike in Ordnance Street, Chatham.

Prosecutor Rio Pahlavnpour said the police saw Edwards on his bike and headed him off after they went across Jackson's Field, in Rochester.

When he was searched he was found to be carrying crack cocaine, heroin and cannabis, valued at up to £4,000, and £230 in cash in his socks and pockets.

Edwards allegedly told officers: "I am selling drugs in order to get out of Medway."

Ms Jacobson said Edwards claimed he was caught by police while on his way to return the Class A drugs as he wanted to stop dealing and leave the area.

She said Edwards had a low IQ was "in the bottom 1% of the population" and had been used by others to supply the drugs.

"He wanted out and was taking the Class A drugs back to the person who supplied him when he was stopped by police; although he accepts he was still selling the cannabis."

Edwards was jailed for five years and seven months and after Edwards was returned to his cell, the judge quipped to a barrister in the next case.

"You haven't got any paintings for me, have you? I am thinking of opening an art gallery if this continues."

To laughter, barrister Ian Foinette replied: "I can happily say I do not have any."

After sentencing, DS Andrew Leventis of the Medway Operation Raptor team, said: "This result means we have taken another drug dealer of the streets of Medway.

"Edwards thought he could cycle around Chatham selling drugs to some of the vulnerable people in our community.

"Operation Raptor will continue to target and disrupt those who are intent on dealing drugs and committing offences across the area and bring them to justice."

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